The Assembly of the Cuban Resistance (ARC), a coalition of Cuban dissident groups, called Tuesday upon the E.U. to stop financing the communist Castro regime and redirect those funds to help Ukraine’s fight against Russia.
ARC is a coalition of activists that works to coordinate anti-communism, pro-democracy efforts between Cubans at home and those living in exile. This week, an ARC delegation led by its coordinator and Breitbart News contributor Orlando Gutiérrez-Boronat travelled to Kyiv to accompany a European parliamentary delegation in Ukraine on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The organization has been at the forefront of Cuban-Americans’ efforts to support Ukraine since the start of Russia’s new invasion in 2022.
Gutiérrez-Boronat reportedly emphasized on Tuesday that the Cuban resistance must make a solidarity presence “in any scenario of struggle in which there is a battle between freedom and totalitarianism.”
The Cuban anti-communist coalition detailed to Martí Noticias on Tuesday that Gutiérrez-Boronat proposed to European lawmakers that Brussels cut all existing E.U. financing to the Cuban regime in Havana, suggesting that instead the funds be used to support Ukraine’s defense efforts against Russia’s ongoing invasion of its territory.
ARC reportedly elevated the same proposal before Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Vsevolod Chentsov, as well as to Ukraine’s economy and defense ministers, with the Cuban activists describing the European funding as a “subsidy” to the Cuban dictatorship.
“The visit is a resounding success, first and foremost because of what it means in terms of diplomatic recognition for the Cuban Resistance Assembly to be officially included in a European parliamentary delegation of this caliber,” Gutiérrez-Boronat reportedly said.
In a statement shared on social media, ARC detailed that the Cuban activists once again condemned the Havana regime for the continued enlistment of Cuban men to fight for Russia in the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking with members of the Ukrainian parliament, Gutiérrez-Boronat accused the Castro regime of facilitating the participation of the shipping and enlistment of men as mercenaries in the war. The Castro regime’s continued offering of Cuban men to fight on behalf of Russia in the invasion of Ukraine prompted Kyiv to shut down its embassy in Havana last year.
“This visit represents a diplomatic breakthrough for the Cuban Resistance and sends a clear message: the struggle for Cuba’s freedom is also part of the global defense of democracy,” ARC concluded in its statement.
Per Martí Noticias, Gutiérrez-Boronat highlighted ARC’s support to the Baltic countries, particularly Lithuania, a country that has continuously supported the efforts of the Cuban activists against the Castro regime.
For decades, and as of 2021, the European Union has provided at least 300 million euros to the Cuban report to fund a litany of purported “cooperation projects” in Cuba with the alleged goal of “improving the living conditions of the Cuban population.” Per the E.U., 125 million euros have been earmarked for “cooperation” with Cuba between 2021 and 2027 in efforts mainly led by France, Italy, and Spain.
According to the contents of a promotional video published by the European Union in 2025, the European funding allegedly aims to finance “clean energy” projects, “innovation in vaccine and medicine production for better health,” and “enabling environment for local business,” among other stated development goals.
As of October 2025, other alleged goals of the E.U.-Cuba partnership publicly listed by the European Union include plans to “eliminate gender-based violence and improve sexual and reproductive rights” and the implementation of a legal framework “promoting gender rights.”
None of the European-funded projects, however, appears to have led to tangible results towards improving the lives of Cubans in Cuba, who must face the dire consequences left by 67 years of communist rule. ARC has repeatedly denounced before European leaders that the E.U.’s funding of “projects” with the Castro regime has instead ended up funding the ruling communists’ brutal repression of the Cuban people.
ARC’s visit to Ukraine occurred roughly two months after the Cuban activists visited Estonia to denounce the brutally repressive actions of the Castro regime against its own people. At the time, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna called for the European Union to reassess its policy towards Cuba and to stop providing funding to the communist regime.
Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
Read the full article here
