October 28, 1962

Esteemed Comrade Fidel Castro:

Our message to President Kennedy on October 27th permits a solution for the problem on your behalf, defending Cuba from an invasion, should such a war break out.  Kennedy’s response, that you obviously know, provides the US guarantee that not only will it not invade Cuba with its own forces, but that it will not permit its allies to do so.  The president of the United States then has favourably answered my messages of October 26th and 27th.

We have just drawn up the draft for our answer to the president’s message.  I shall not write it here since it is already being transmitted by radio.  
Because of that, we should now like to advise you, at this point in the turning around of the crisis, that you should not allow yourselves to be swept away by your feelings: show steadfastness.   It mus be said that we understand your profound indignation at the aggressive actions of the US and its violations of the fundamental norms of international law.  

However for the time being it is not laws and rules, rather the lack of sense in the Pentagon miiltarists.  Since we already have an agreement on the horizon, the Pentagon is seeking an excuse to prevent it.  That is why provocateur fly-overs are being organized.  Yesterday, you downed one of these, even though you had not done so when they were flying over your territory.  That step shall be taken advantage of by the aggressors in order to advance their aims.   

Because of that, we should like to advise you, in the spirit of our friendship, that you show patience, steadfastness and more steadfastness.  Naturally should there be an invasion it would be necessary to fight against it using all means.  But one cannot allow oneself to succumb to provocation.  Now a solution is being found – a solution that is favourable for you and that is a guarantee against invasion – the unbridled Pentagon militarists would like to frustrate the agreement and provoke you to take measures that they could use against you.  We ask you not to give them an excuse for this.

As for us, we shall do all that is possible to stabilize the situation in Cuba, to defend Cuba from an invasion and to ensure for you the possibility of peacefully building your socialist society.  

To you and to your entire collective leadership, we send our greetings.

N. Khrushchev

1962/10/28