EU/CUBA The European Union prides itself on being a global champion of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. Yet, its continued financial support for Cuba’s dictatorship starkly contradicts these principles. As the EU commits billions to support Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression, it simultaneously funds institutions in Cuba that are not only complicit in domestic repression but also aligned with Russia’s war effort. This contradiction undermines the EU’s credibility and strategic coherence.
Since the 2016 Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA), the EU has provided over €300 million to Cuba, with the stated goal of promoting development and dialogue. However, these funds have overwhelmingly gone to regime-controlled institutions, bypassing independent civil society. According to recent reports, nearly €155 million is currently funding around 80 projects—all administered by organizations tied to the Cuban government.
These institutions are not neutral. They are instrumental in maintaining the regime’s grip on power, suppressing dissent, and spreading propaganda. Political prisoners, including minors and women, remain incarcerated under vague charges like “pre-criminal dangerousness.” Torture, forced labor, and surveillance are widespread. EU funds, rather than fostering reform, are effectively subsidizing repression.
Perhaps most alarming is Cuba’s growing military involvement in the war in Ukraine. Investigations by Ukrainian and international media have revealed that thousands of Cuban nationals have joined the Russian army, many of them fighting in front-line units such as the 106th Airborne Division. These Cuban fighters have participated in some of the bloodiest battles of the war, including the siege of Bakhmut.
While the Cuban government has attempted to distance itself from these actions, claiming that many were trafficked or misled, evidence suggests otherwise. Reports indicate that Cuban nationals are being recruited with promises of high pay and Russian citizenship—offers that are difficult to refuse in a country where the average monthly salary is under $25. Some estimates, provided by Ukrainian military intelligence, indicate that as many as 20,000 Cubans may have been sent to fight in Ukraine, either as mercenaries or under tacit regime approval.
This military collaboration with Russia is not an isolated incident. Cuba has deepened its ties with both Russia and Belarus, aligning itself with regimes that openly oppose European values and security interests. At the United Nations, Cuba consistently votes against resolutions supporting Ukraine and condemning Russian aggression.
The EU’s simultaneous support for Ukraine and the Cuban regime represents a dangerous double standard. On one hand, Europe rightly condemns Russia’s invasion and provides military, financial, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. On the other, it funds a regime that not only supports Russia diplomatically but also contributes troops to its war effort.
This inconsistency weakens the EU’s moral authority and strategic coherence. It sends a confusing message to allies and adversaries alike: that the EU is willing to compromise its principles for the sake of engagement, even when that engagement empowers tyranny.
The Cuban people are the ones who suffer most from this policy. EU funds do not reach independent journalists, human rights defenders, or grassroots organizations. Instead, they reinforce the regime’s control, enabling it to expand its surveillance state and silence dissent. Meanwhile, young Cuban men are being lured—or coerced—into fighting in a foreign war that has nothing to do with their national interest.
The European Parliament has repeatedly condemned these abuses. In early 2024, it passed a resolution urging the EU to impose sanctions on Cuban officials responsible for human rights violations and to reconsider the PDCA. Yet, the European Commission has been slow to act, citing the need for continued dialogue.
Europe cannot afford to be inconsistent in its foreign policy. If the European Union is truly committed to defending democracy and human rights, it must ensure that its actions reflect these core values. This requires a decisive shift in its approach to Cuba. First, the EU must end all financial support to institutions controlled by the Cuban regime, as these funds only serve to entrench authoritarian control and suppress dissent. Instead, aid should be redirected to support independent civil society organizations and Cuban communities in exile, who are working tirelessly to promote freedom and democratic reform. Additionally, the EU should impose targeted sanctions on Cuban officials who are complicit in human rights abuses and in the regime’s military collaboration with Russia. Finally, the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) must be reevaluated in light of Cuba’s growing alignment with Russia and Belarus—two regimes that stand in direct opposition to European values and security interests.
The EU’s continued funding of the Cuban regime is not just a policy failure—it is a betrayal of the very values Europe claims to uphold. As Cuban troops fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, the EU must ask itself: can it truly support democracy abroad while subsidizing dictatorship at home?
It is time for the EU to act with both moral clarity and strategic consistency. Supporting Ukraine means standing against all forms of tyranny—including those in Havana.
BJÖRN SÖDER
Member of Swedish Parliament and Head of the Swedish delegation to the OSCE PA
MARKUS WIECHEL
Member of Swedish Parliament and Head of the Swedish delegation to the PACE
ORLANDO GUTIERREZ BORONAT
Elected coordinator of the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance
(The article was published in The European Conservative on the 29th of May 2025)
