Raul Castro: Trump should respect Cuba's sovereignty

Cuban President Raul Castro on Wednesday warned that U.S. should not expect Cuba to "make concessions inherent to its independence and sovereignty" as both nations pursue a fragile effort to normalize bilateral relations.

"Cuba and the United States can cooperate and live side by side in a civilized manner, respecting our differences and promoting all that is of benefit for both countries and people," Castro said during a summit of Latin American and Caribbean leaders, as reported by Reuters and The Hill.

"But it should not hope that to achieve this Cuba will make concessions inherent to its independence and sovereignty," the Cuban president added.

President Donald Trump has been critical of the warming bilateral relations between U.S. and Cuba, an effort that was initiated by his predecessor, former President Barack Obama, in 2014.

Trump has promised to re-evaluate the policy, threatening to "terminate" the talks if Cuba is "unwilling to make a better deal."

"If Cuba is unwilling to make a better deal for the Cuban people, the Cuban/American people and the U.S. as a whole, I will terminate deal,” Trump tweeted in November.