Ukraine and Cuba: Bound in Brotherhood for Good

Fifteen years after the establishment of official diplomatic relations between these two nations, Ukraine’s Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to Cuba says ties get stronger with each passing day.

His Excellency Olexandr Gnyedykh never imagined that when he first visited the island nation at the early age of 22, he’d come back one day, first as a diplomat when his country established diplomatic relations with the largest Caribbean nation 15 years ago, and since January 2006 as the Ukrainian extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador to Cuba.

“In my first contact with this land I knew it pretty well, both on the ground and from the air, because at that time I was the translator for an aircraft’s crew that used to make topographic uplifting for the island nation’s Geophysics and Astronomy Institute,” he remembers.

“I’ve made good friends here since then, many from those years and others I’ve been getting acquainted with more recently. The peoples of Ukraine and Cuba are very much alike, their histories are very similar and their friendly ties are pretty strong,” he explains.

“My country has never forgotten that beautiful gesture of Cuba and President Fidel Castro following the accident in Chernobyl’s nuclear plant. Dozens of thousands of Ukraine children received nonstop medical attention here, absolutely free, and for many years; children and their relatives as part of a program that’s still underway and that touched the heart of the Ukrainian people forever.”

Mr. Gnyedykh also recalls that thousands of Cubans studied in his homeland, especially in the largest Aviation University there, well known around the world for its excellence. “It’s funny, you know, that even today many marriages between Cuban men and Ukrainian women still prevail, and that proves my point about how much the two nations have in common.”

Furthermore, Ambassador Gnyedykh says those strong ties between the two countries have grown heftier in recent years. Even new cooperation ways are being assessed, especially in such fields as healthcare, the pharmaceutical industry, transportation, aviation, sports and culture.

“This year,” Mr. Gnyedykh goes on to say, “we’ll be celebrating the 15th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and therefore we’ve got a multitude of activities in the offing, worthy of the ties that bind us together. We’ve worked hard in strengthening those relations, an effort many people and institutions have signed up for, like the ministries of foreign affairs, foreign trade, investment, transportation, healthcare, or Cuba’s Civil Aviation Institute, among others.

“I also want to avail myself of this opportunity to congratulate the Excelencias Group in its tenth anniversary. This is a major publisher with an assortment of top-quality and very beautiful products. But the most important thing is the contents of each and every material that help keep all of us posted on the latest developments in the diplomatic corps.”

Mr. Gnyedykh admits he loves visiting museums with his family, watching theater plays, listening to the National Symphonic Orchestra and maestro Frank Fernandez –a good friend of his- touring Old Havana and spending time with the people. He also lets us in on a little secret: his love for Cuban coffee and Habanos. “I really don’t want to talk about preferences because I don’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings. I can only say its exquisiteness is unique and is highly coveted in my country. In Kiev, the capital, there’s a Habano House.”