MOSCOW, April 11. /TASS/. The efforts of isolating Russia will fail like the similar policy against Cuba did, the head of the foreign affairs committee of Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, Alexei Pushkov said on Saturday.

US President Barack Obama earlier this week said that 50 years of Washington’s isolation of Cuba have not worked. "I believe that engagement is a more powerful force than isolation," Obama said in relation to Cuba.

In comments to the statement, Pushkov wrote in this Twitter microblog: "So Obama has acknowledged that the isolation of Cuba has failed. The isolation of Russia will certainly end in failure."

The United States and Cuba announced plans to normalize ties in mid-December 2014.

Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro are expected to hold their first meeting on Saturday during the second day of the 7th summit of the Americas in Panama City.

Earlier reports said US Secretary of State John Kerry has met with Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez. There have been no contacts at this level between the two countries over the last half-century.

The sides are currently holding consultations on restoring diplomatic relations and opening embassies in Washington and Havana.