Former President Donald Trump strongly criticized the recent visit of the Russian Navy to Cuba during his acceptance speech for the Republican presidential nomination at the National Republican Convention in Wisconsin. "Russian warships and nuclear submarines are operating just 60 miles [96 kilometers] off the coast of Cuba. Did you know that? The press refuses to write about it," Trump questioned in his speech, where he accepted the Republican nomination for the November 5 election. "If I were running this country and we had nuclear submarines in Cuba, the headlines every day would be 'What's wrong with our president?'" Trump stated.
In June, three ships and a nuclear-powered submarine from the Russian Navy made an official visit to the port of Havana, which Cuban authorities described as a routine practice for naval units of ally nations. They denied that the ships carried nuclear weapons or posed a threat to the region. Specifically, the detachment included the frigate Admiral Gorshkov, the tanker Akadémik Pashin, the rescue tugboat Nikolái Chiker, and the nuclear submarine Kazán.
The U.S. government deployed several warships and a reconnaissance aircraft to track the course of the Russian flotilla during those days. The U.S. deployment included two destroyers: the USS Truxtun and the USS Donald Cook, as well as a Coast Guard cutter, the Stone, and a maritime patrol aircraft, the Boeing P-8.
Trump has stated that if he returns to the White House, he will resume his previous administration's policies towards Cuba, aiming to reverse the diplomatic normalization initiated by Barack Obama. Cuban-American congress members María Elvira Salazar and Carlos Giménez, who attended the National Republican Convention in Milwaukee, claimed that a Republican victory in the November elections would corner the Havana regime and, over time, dismantle its communist system.
Key Questions on Russian Submarine Visit to Cuba
In light of the recent visit of Russian naval forces to Cuba, there are several critical points and questions that need to be addressed. Here, we provide some answers to the most pressing queries.
Why did the Russian Navy visit Cuba?
The visit was described by Cuban authorities as a routine practice for naval units from allied nations. They denied that the ships carried nuclear weapons or posed any threat to the region.
What was the U.S. response to the Russian naval visit to Cuba?
The U.S. government deployed several warships and a reconnaissance aircraft to monitor the Russian flotilla's movements. This included the USS Truxtun, USS Donald Cook, the Coast Guard cutter Stone, and a Boeing P-8 maritime patrol aircraft.
What are Trump's plans for U.S.-Cuba relations if re-elected?
Trump has indicated that he would resume his previous administration's policies toward Cuba, aiming to reverse the diplomatic normalization efforts initiated by Barack Obama.