MOSCOW, Jan 15 (Reuters) – Russia said on Thursday that using the language of blackmail and threats against Cuba was unacceptable after U.S. President Donald Trump told Havana to make a deal before it was too late.

“We are closely monitoring the situation in Latin America and the Caribbean region. Of course, we are concerned about the growing tension and the escalation of aggressive rhetoric, including against our friendly Republic of Cuba,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

“We are convinced that the language of blackmail and threats is simply unacceptable, especially in relation to the island of freedom, its people and government, which have been experiencing for decades the full horror of illegitimate and illegal sanctions.”

(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Writing by Gleb Stolyarov; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge)