MOSCOW , Russia ( CNN ) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev welcomed Cuban President Raul Castro to Moscow on Thursday , marking the first time any Cuban leader has visited Russia 's capital since Fidel Castro made a trip there 22 years ago at the end of the Cold War . Cuban President Raul Castro reviews honor guards after arriving Wednesday in Moscow , Russia . The two presidents appeared together on Russian state television in an informal meeting in which the Cuban leader spoke fondly of his last trip to Moscow almost 30 years ago . Medvedev and Raul Castro will discuss bilateral issues Friday during their official meeting at the Kremlin . `` We plan to reach the signing of a number of agreements aimed at the promotion of interaction of our countries in the trade-economic , financial-investment and cultural-humanitarian areas at the talks , '' Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov told Prensa Latina in an interview posted on the official ministry Web site . `` In general , there is no doubt that Castro 's visit will contribute to the strengthening of the Russian-Cuban partnership . '' The last time Medvedev and Castro spoke face to face was in November when Medvedev traveled to Latin America , including a stop in Cuba . The visit , during which Medvedev also met with Raul 's ailing brother , Fidel Castro , was part of a regional tour to Venezuela and Brazil , sending a poignant message to the United States that Russia is quickly gaining support in its backyard . After the collapse of Soviet Union , ties between communist Cuba and ex-communist Russia cooled . In 2001 , then-Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Havana , Cuba , to begin new talks with the former Cold War ally . Besides discussing the world 's hot spots and the global financial crisis , Medvedev and Raul Castro will `` focus on solving the issue of lifting the blockade from Cuba under the new U.S. administration , '' Lavrov said , referring to the decades-old U.S. embargo against the Caribbean island nation . `` We hope that the joint position of the vast majority of members of the international community on this issue will finally contribute to revising U.S. approaches in a realistic manner , '' Lavrov told the interviewers . `` On our side , we are ready to decisively pursue our line aimed at canceling the blockade , in which we can see a relic of the past era . '' Castro 's visit is due to last until Wednesday .
Russian president 's trip intended to strengthen ties with Cuba . Relations between the two countries cooled when Cold War ended . Solving lifting of U.S. trade embargo on Cuba among items on agenda . Russian President Raul visited U.S. in almost 30 years ago .