US Pushes UN Allies to Isolate Cuba Over Ukraine Fighter Role

The Trump administration has launched a diplomatic campaign to convince United Nations allies to oppose the annual resolution calling for the lifting of the U.S. embargo on Cuba, highlighting Cuba’s support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. An internal State Department cable directs diplomats to inform other countries that between 1,000 and 5,000 Cuban nationals are fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, making Cuba the second-largest contributor of foreign troops to Russia's aggression after North Korea. The U.S. argues that Cuba's economic crisis is due to corruption and incompetence rather than American sanctions, which the Cuban government blames for shortages, infrastructure collapse, and hyperinflation. Since January 2025, President Trump has intensified sanctions on Cuba, reinstated its designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, and tightened financial restrictions, linking these actions to Cuba's support for Russia. The resolution has historically passed with overwhelming support, but Washington aims to reduce affirmative votes by encouraging allies to vote no or abstain. While lobbying focuses on Cuba’s role in the Ukraine conflict and human rights concerns, only the U.S. Congress can lift the embargo, and the dispute over its impact remains a central point of contention.