MOSCOW (AP):
Russian news reports say Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is calling for Russia to restore its influential relationship with former Cold War ally Cuba.
The statement comes amid persistent speculation about whether Russia could seek a military presence in Cuba which lies just 90 miles (150 kilometres) from the United States border in response to US plans to place a missile-defence system in Eastern Europe.
In a meeting with government ministers Monday, Putin said, "We should restore our position in Cuba and other countries," the Interfax news agency reported.
He spoke while receiving reports about a recent trip to Cuba by a Russian government delegation.