Cuba Open To 'Meaningful' Talks With U.S. — Rejects Any Discussion Of Regime Change As Oil Pressure Rises

Cuba said it is willing to engage in "meaningful" dialogue with the United States but will not negotiate changes to its political system, Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío told CNN on Wednesday.

De Cossío emphasized that Cuba will not discuss its constitutional or political system with U.S. officials, saying:

"We’re not ready to discuss our constitutional system as we suppose the U.S. is not ready to discuss their constitutional system, their political system, their economic reality."

He added that while Havana and Washington have not established a formal bilateral dialogue, they have exchanged messages that reached high levels of the Cuban leadership.

U.S. Pressure and Energy Shortages

The comments come as the Trump administration has stepped up pressure on the island, including moves intended to cut off or curtail oil supplies. The U.S. has disrupted shipments that Cuba previously received from Venezuela and has threatened tariffs on countries that continue to send oil to Havana.

De Cossío rejected U.S. claims that Cuba poses a security threat. "Cuba poses no threat to the United States. It is not aggressive against the United States. It’s not hostile. It doesn’t harbor terrorism, nor sponsors terrorism," he said.

A woman holds a candle while a boy checks his cellphone during a blackout in the Luyano neighborhood of Havana on January 28, 2026. - Yamil Lage/AFP/Getty Images

Officials and ordinary Cubans are already feeling the effects of the strained energy situation: persistent blackouts, long lines at gas stations, and shortages that have forced authorities to consider austerity measures. Havana blames long-standing U.S. economic sanctions for much of the energy sector's deterioration, while critics also point to underinvestment in infrastructure.

Tensions, Rhetoric And Regional Implications

The diplomatic exchange followed public remarks by U.S. politicians suggesting that regime change in Cuba would be desirable — comments that Havana has repeatedly rejected. De Cossío called on Washington to end coercive economic measures, warning that their impact on Cuba is severe: "What Cuba suffers is equivalent to war in terms of economic coercive measures."

President Trump has said that Cuba could avoid a total cutoff by reaching a "deal" with the United States, potentially including the return of property seized after the 1959 revolution. Mexico has been mentioned in public U.S. statements as a potential source of oil suspension; Mexican officials said their contracts with Cuba remain in force and that they are seeking ways to reduce harm to the island.

Havana also offered cooperation on practical regional concerns. De Cossío said Cuba is willing to work with the U.S. on issues such as drug trafficking: "If the U.S. wants cooperation in fighting the trafficking of drugs, Cuba can help. We’ve been helping in the past, and we can continue to help with traffic that goes within the region."

While tensions have increased, de Cossío urged diplomacy over coercion and framed engagement on shared challenges — from regional security to anti-narcotics efforts — as the most constructive path forward.

Reporting note: This article corrects and clarifies earlier, inaccurate claims circulated about events involving Venezuela; there is no verified reporting that U.S. forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.