Reuben Johnson speculates,
Exiles: Putin Could Offer Trump a Deal on Cuba. Putin seeking to take pressure off deteriorating Russian economy
Post-Fidel Castro Havana may lose its long-time protector and guarantor of security, Russia, according to Cuba-watchers in Miami’s community of exiles and dissidents.
They predict Russian President Vladimir Putin will offer the incoming Trump administration a free hand to deal with Cuba as it sees fit in return for the United States recognizing Moscow’s invasion and annexation of the Ukrainian region of Crimea.
The assessment comes from former Cuban officials who fled the island nation under the rule of Fidel Castro. They said Putin is seeking to use the recent passing of Castro as an opportunity to take the pressure off a deteriorating domestic economic situation back in Russia.
It is an interesting premise, but my initial reaction while I read the article was, “Is this a trial balloon?”, and if so, from whom?
To say that I distrust reports based on unnamed sources, especially if those are “former Cuban officials” – and the report is not found elsewhere – is to put it mildly.