Russia has held talks with Havana on the construction of an oil refinery in Cuba along with Russian companies, TASS news agency reported citing a senior Russian lawmaker, Alexander Babakov.
A delegation of Russian parliamentarians led by the president of the Lower House, Viacheslav Volodin, is visiting Cuba. Babakov said the possible construction of an oil refinery was discussed during the trip.
Cuba has crude oil: it is logical not to import petroleum products, but to produce them here, he told TASS.
The largest Russian companies could participate here, he added.
Russia and the Cuban socialist state have a long history of close relations dating back to the days of the 1959 Cuban Revolution, after which Havana received the support of the Soviet Union.
Russia resumed the supply of crude oil to Cuba in March after a year of interruption.
Venezuela is Cuba’s main oil supplier, but shipments have declined in recent years. Last year, Mexico exported significant amounts of oil to Cuba, but has not done so this year.
This article has been translated after first appearing in El Mundo