Moscow - Cuban President Raul Castro began a series of meetings with Russian leaders Wednesday during a symbolic visit to Havana's Cold War ally for a World War II victory parade at a time of thawing ties with Washington.
Castro's presence in Moscow makes him one of a dwindling list of dignitaries and foreign leaders set to attend the grandiose Red Square parade on May 9 to mark 70 years since the WWII victory over Nazi Germany in 1945.
Western diplomats have made plans to visit Russia this week but few European leaders are staying for the parade and even Russia's closest allies from the former Soviet Union, including Belarus, have opted to stay away.
The visit is Castro's third to Havana's Cold War-era ally Moscow as head of state. He is the first foreign leader to arrive ahead of the celebrations that will showcase Russia's military might.
Castro met with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev Wednesday after jetting into Moscow late Tuesday.
He is to meet President Vladimir Putin on Thursday for talks and attend several Kremlin events, including a dinner Friday, before attending the parade.
He and Putin last met in July 2014, when the Russian leader went to Cuba on his Latin American tour. This will be their first encounter since the historic rapprochement between the island's leftist leaders and the United States.
In March, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov went to Havana to reinforce Russia's demands for an end to the US blockade.
US President Barack Obama has moved to strike Cuba from the US terror list, which removes some restrictions and grants Cuba access to the US banking system, but many other sanctions, remain in place.
AFP
