Ukraine has announced the closure of its embassy in Havana following its vote against the Cuban regime at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday. This session saw the approval of a resolution calling for the end of the United States' economic, commercial, and financial embargo on Cuba.
On Wednesday, Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andriy Sybiha, revealed that his ministry decided to downgrade diplomatic relations and shutter the diplomatic mission on the island.
"We recall the Cuban president's wish for 'success' to Putin in his war of aggression against Ukraine. We heard it loud and clear. This year, we have resolved to close our embassy in Havana and lower the level of our diplomatic relations," the official stated on X.
The announcement was linked to Ukraine's decision at the United Nations, a response to Cuba's support for Moscow's aggression.
Sybiha emphasized that Ukraine's stance is not impulsive and is based on firm grounds.
He highlighted that thousands of Cubans have signed contracts to join Russian forces actively engaged in hostilities in Ukraine.
"Our vote is not against the Cuban people; we respect their right to live in prosperity. It targets the inaction of the Cuban authorities in response to the massive recruitment of Cuban citizens by the Russian occupation army," he clarified.
"Havana's refusal to halt the large-scale deployment of its citizens in Russia's war against Ukraine constitutes complicity in the aggression and must be condemned in the strongest terms. Ukraine will always oppose this practice and uphold the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter," the minister stressed on Telegram, as reported by UNN.
Back in July, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the foreign minister unveiled a new strategic plan to reorganize Ukraine's diplomatic network, with one of the significant announcements being the reduction of the country's diplomatic presence in Cuba.
The Mezha portal notes that the United States estimates that between 1,000 and 5,000 Cubans have joined Russian forces attacking Ukraine.
Shift in Global Support for Cuba at the UN Over US Embargo
On Tuesday, the United Nations General Assembly, with 165 votes in favor, seven against, and 12 abstentions, passed the resolution urging the end of the US embargo on Cuba.
Ukraine was among the seven nations that chose to uphold the US embargo.
Although Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla hailed the outcome as a "victory of the peoples," the data indicates a dramatic decline in international support for the Cuban regime: it is the lowest backing in over a decade.
In 2024, the resolution had been approved by 187 votes in favor, just two against (the United States and Israel), and one abstention.
This year, the number of supporting countries dropped by more than twenty, while abstentions and negative votes rose significantly, marking an unprecedented fracture in the traditional automatic majority that Havana typically secured in such debates.
This diplomatic shift underscores the impact of recent scandals involving the Cuban regime, including the participation of Cubans in the Ukraine war as mercenaries, international allegations of structural corruption, and currency hoarding by the military conglomerate GAESA, which controls over $18 billion in assets.
Diplomatic sources consulted by international media warned that Cuba is facing increasing moral and political isolation.
The change in stance from countries like Argentina and Paraguay—traditionally aligned with Latin American votes in favor of Havana—reveals a growing fatigue with the embargo narrative as the sole explanation for the Cuban crisis.
Additionally, Eastern European nations affected by the war in Ukraine have hardened their stance against regimes sympathetic to Moscow.
Key Questions on Ukraine's Diplomatic Shift in Cuba
Why did Ukraine close its embassy in Havana?
Ukraine closed its embassy in Havana as a response to Cuba's support for Russia's aggression against Ukraine and to downgrade diplomatic relations with the island.
What was the outcome of the UN vote on the US embargo against Cuba?
The UN vote resulted in 165 countries supporting the resolution to end the US embargo on Cuba, while seven countries, including Ukraine, voted against it, and 12 abstained.
How has international support for Cuba changed?
International support for Cuba has significantly declined, with fewer countries backing the resolution to end the US embargo and increased abstentions and negative votes, signaling a shift in global sentiment.