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<p>This thesis examines how the recent discovery of massive oil reserves off the coast
of Cuba has driven a resurgence of Cuban-Russian relations in the 21st century. The
first chapter demonstrates how the Russian government came to conceptualize the export
of hydrocarbons as integral to the nation's development. It also examines the internal
situation in Cuba after the fall of the Soviet Union to explain what initiated shifts
in domestic policy that allowed for greater external investment. The second chapter
discusses the effect of the discovery of these oil reserves, and how the Russians
and the Cubans have come together over this issue against the backdrop of larger anti-American
tendencies in Latin America. The first chapter relies more on secondary analyses
of trends in both nations to help familiarize the reader with key concepts, such as
the idea of Russia's energy weapon and Cuba's impetus for change. The second chapter
heavily uses newspaper articles and speeches to demonstrate the visible shift in Russian
attitude towards Cuba. </p><p>This thesis shows that the oil reserves have stimulated
both countries to work closely together, though each has their respective reasons.</p>
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