MOSCOW, June 10 (Xinhua) -- The Russian State Duma on Wednesday slammed the U.S. blockade on Cuba as a "blatant interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state."
In a statement, the State Duma deputies urged the United States to immediately lift the trade, economic, financial, and energy blockade imposed on Cuba.
"The ongoing economic, financial and especially the now virtually total energy blockade imposed by the United States on the Republic of Cuba ... directly violates the principles and norms of the UN Charter," the State Duma said.
The situation has further exacerbated the population's already difficult circumstances, it added.
The United States has maintained a long-standing economic, commercial, and financial embargo against Cuba. On Jan. 29, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order threatening to impose tariffs on goods exported to the United States from countries supplying oil to Cuba. In March, Trump threatened that Cuba would be "next" while discussing Venezuela and Iran. ■