Obama In Cuba: Raúl Castro Welcomes USA President In Historic Ceremony

President Obama Meets With Cuban President Raul Castro In Havana — U.S. President Barack Obama (R) and Cuban President Raul Castro pose for photographs after greeting one another at the Palace of the Revolution March 21, 2016 in Havana, Cuba. The first sitting U.S. president to visit Cuba in 88 years, Obama and Castro will sit down for bilateral talks and will deliver joint statements to the news media. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Cuban leader Raúl Castro shook Obama's hand at the Palace of the Revolution today in Havana during a memorable ceremony making history and sending a message to the entire world of how these two nations are ready to work on closer and diplomatic relations and bring change after many years of animosity. The presidents greeted each other warmly and they stood together as a military band played the national anthems of the U.S. and Cuba, demonstrating a dynamic of friendship and engagement between both.

obama and cuba — US President Barack Obama and his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro met Monday in Havana's Palace of the Revolution for groundbreaking talks on ending the standoff between the two neighbors. ( NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images)

The Obama administration is also seeking to press the island into effective economic reforms and improved human rights on this trip. "Change is going to happen here and I think that Raul Castro understands that," Obama said in an interview with ABC News Sunday night."Our intention has been to get the ball rolling, knowing that change wasn't going to happen overnight," he added "Although we still have significant differences around human rights and individual liberties inside of Cuba, we felt that coming now would maximize our ability to prompt more change." Check out the memorable welcoming ceremony below.