MOSCOW, February 18. /TASS/. Cuba is grateful to the Russian leadership for its solidarity amid the tightening blockade and the island’s energy siege, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla said.

"I would like to express my special gratitude for the solidarity shown by you, the Russian government, and the top diplomat in the face of the tightening blockade and energy siege against Cuba, which are causing suffering to our people and creating very difficult conditions for our economy," he said during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The minister noted that he was happy to be in the Russian capital. "I am very pleased to be in Moscow, given Russia's extraordinary and unwavering solidarity with Cuba," he said, adding that relations between Russia and Cuba had been "tempered by time and mutual support in difficult moments."

According to him, the Cuban people appreciate and love the Russian people. "All these years, we have been working hand in hand on various issues," Rodriguez Parrilla noted.

The top diplomat emphasized that developing bilateral relations with Russia is a priority. "Relations are developing well with joint projects. They are aimed at the mutual benefit of our peoples," he added.