The United Nations General Assembly has renewed its call for the United States to end its economic, trade and financial embargo on Cuba, although support for the resolution fell to its lowest level in more than three decades amid renewed tensions between Washington and Havana.

The resolution, which has been introduced almost every year since 1992, received 130 votes in favour, 17 against and 25 abstentions. The level of support was the lowest since 1995. Last year, more than 160 countries backed the measure.

Germany, Italy and Latvia abstained for the first time in 34 years, while Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Morocco, Slovenia and Bosnia were among the countries that voted against the resolution, several doing so for the first time.

Although the resolution is not legally binding, it serves as an indication of international opinion on the long-running dispute. The vote comes as the administration of US President Donald Trump intensifies pressure on Cuba through sanctions and restrictions affecting its access to oil supplies.

The US embargo dates to 1960, following Fidel Castro’s revolution and the nationalisation of US-owned property. Washington maintains that Cuba’s economic difficulties stem from its government’s policies, while Havana argues that American restrictions have caused significant damage to the country’s economy.

Speaking shortly before the vote in New York, US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz rejected the description of the measures as a blockade.

“The plight of the Cuban people is exclusively the fault of this corrupt communist regime,” Waltz said.

Cuba’s government has accused Washington of conducting a diplomatic campaign to persuade countries to withdraw their support for the resolution. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez accused the United States of attempting to “determine the nation’s destiny” and “seize” its wealth.

The debate also featured a heated confrontation between Rodríguez and Waltz. Rodríguez approached the US ambassador and accused him of lying, prompting Waltz to shout for him to back away.

During the session, Waltz accused senior Cuban officials of enjoying luxury lifestyles while ordinary citizens faced shortages. He displayed photographs of Cuban leaders, including President Miguel Díaz-Canel, wearing luxury watches. Members of the Cuban delegation responded by repeatedly banging on their desks.

Díaz-Canel later criticised Washington on the social media platform X, accusing it of “gangster-like coercion”. He said the international community had again opposed the embargo despite what he described as American pressure and blackmail.

In January, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba. The move has sharply reduced fuel deliveries, contributing to widespread power cuts and disruptions to water, internet and telephone services.

Cuba continues to face severe economic hardship, with shortages of fuel and other essential goods affecting daily life. The latest UN vote highlights the continuing international debate over US policy towards the island, even as the level of support for the annual resolution declines.

Elon Musk has said SpaceX restricted Ukraine’s use of its Starlink satellite internet service after accusing the country’s military of breaching its terms by using the civilian network for offensive drone strikes. Ukrainian officials have reported that connectivity has stabilised, with military drones once again reaching the speeds required for operations.

Musk’s comments on Saturday followed more than a week of reported connection problems that Ukraine said had disrupted its defensive operations. The issue emerged amid growing tensions between Washington and Kyiv over Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil infrastructure.

“Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it be,” Musk wrote on X. He said Ukrainian forces had violated the service’s terms and that SpaceX had closed the loophole the previous week.

Musk also rejected suggestions that SpaceX was responsible for problems affecting Starshield, a separate, military-grade satellite communications system controlled by the US government. He said SpaceX had done more to defend Ukraine than any other private company, while stressing that decisions concerning Starshield rested with Washington.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Serhii Beskrestnov questioned Musk’s account, saying the restrictions on Starlink in Ukraine made the claims difficult to understand. He said drones using the commercial service were limited to speeds of around 70 to 90 kilometres per hour and could not operate on Russian territory.

“Therefore, we physically cannot use commercial Starlink for deep strikes and medium-range strikes,” Beskrestnov wrote on Telegram. Ukraine’s defence ministry had not immediately commented on Musk’s latest statements.

Ukraine uses Starlink to maintain communications between military units, particularly in remote battlefield areas. Starshield provides more specialised capabilities, including support for drone operators who need real-time information about targets.

Ukraine’s Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara said on Saturday that the military was recording a stable connection. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also reported that drone speeds had returned to the required levels. Kyiv had previously said connectivity could fail when drones exceeded 161 kilometres per hour.

US President Donald Trump said he had asked Musk to restore the service, although he has repeatedly denied instructing SpaceX to restrict it. Musk did not explain why the company changed the service’s capabilities after years of Ukraine’s military relying on Starlink.

The disruption coincided with a diplomatic dispute over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, which Kyiv says are important sources of revenue for Moscow’s war effort. Trump has criticised the attacks, linking them to pressure on global fuel prices. However, the conflict involving Iran has been a major driver of energy market volatility this year.

Meanwhile, fighting continued across Ukraine. Emergency services reported three people killed and 15 injured in attacks in the Dnipropetrovsk region, including an 11-year-old girl. Six others were injured when a Russian drone struck an apartment building in Vinnytsia.

Russia also reported strikes on Ukrainian logistics facilities, while Ukrainian authorities said their forces had attacked a facility operated by a sanctioned heavy machinery manufacturer in the Russian city of Oryol. Russian authorities said three people were killed there.

Bulgarians are preparing to vote in a presidential election shaped by concerns over Russia’s war in Ukraine, drone attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea, rising energy costs and persistent inflation.

The election is the first major electoral test for Prime Minister Rumen Radev’s Progressive Bulgaria party since its victory in parliamentary elections last April. A record 27 candidates are contesting the presidency, although polling suggests the race could be decided in a second round.

Incumbent President Iliana Yotova, backed by Radev’s party, is polling between 41% and 47%, while former caretaker prime minister Andrey Gyurov is attracting between 28% and 31%, according to projections cited during the campaign. Kostadin Kostadinov, leader of the far-right Vazrazhdane party, is polling between 10% and 13%.

Yotova supports dialogue with Moscow and opposes military assistance to Ukraine, positions that have placed the country’s relationship with Russia at the centre of the campaign. Gyurov, an economist backed by pro-Western opposition parties, has expressed firm support for Kyiv.

Security concerns have intensified following drone attacks on commercial ships off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast. The incidents have raised fears that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could create wider risks for the European Union and NATO member, prompting Bulgarian authorities to seek assistance from international partners to strengthen maritime security.

The attacks have also focused attention on the Black Sea’s importance for regional shipping and trade, as governments across Europe assess the potential consequences of the conflict spreading beyond Ukraine.

Economic pressures have been another major issue for voters. Rising energy prices and inflation have increased household expenses, with families in rural communities facing particular difficulties in meeting everyday costs. Candidates have sought to address these concerns as voters weigh the country’s economic prospects alongside national security and foreign policy.

Yotova became president earlier this year after Radev stepped down to contest the parliamentary elections and subsequently became prime minister. She previously served as vice-president alongside Radev after their election victories in 2016 and 2021.

A former journalist and member of the European Parliament, Yotova would become Bulgaria’s first woman elected president if she wins the presidency in her own right.

Her challenger, Gyurov, is a former deputy governor of Bulgaria’s central bank who served as caretaker prime minister during the first months of 2026. During his time in office, he signed a security cooperation agreement with Ukraine, underlining his support for closer ties with Kyiv.

Polling stations are scheduled to close at 8pm local time on Sunday, with initial exit polls expected shortly afterwards and preliminary results due on Monday.

Bulgarian election rules require turnout to exceed 50% and a candidate to secure a majority of votes for a first-round victory. Forecasts put turnout below 40%, making a runoff on November 1 likely. The second round would set up a direct contest between the leading candidates and give voters another opportunity to decide the country’s direction on foreign policy, security and economic issues.