MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd November, 2018) Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel will start his official visit to Russia on Friday, by holding talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the speakers of both houses of the Russian parliament.
Diaz-Canel arrived in Moscow on Thursday evening. This is his first visit to Russia in his current capacity.
On Friday, the Cuban president is expected to hold talks with Putin to discuss the state and prospects of bilateral strategic partnership. The sides will likely focus on trade and economic cooperation, as well as defense industry cooperation.
On the Cuban president's agenda are also talks with the speakers of the Russian parliament's lower and upper houses, Vyacheslav Volodin and Valentina Matviyenko.
On Saturday, Diaz-Canel will discuss implementation of large-scale joint projects with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and finish his visit.
A range of contracts is expected to be signed as result of the visit, including some major infrastructure contracts, namely, on the planned modernization of Cuban railways.
Diaz-Canel replaced Raul Castro as the new leader of Cuba after the country's National Assembly of People's Power approved his candidacy for the position of the president of the Cuban Council of State in April.
