Putin hails 'natural allies' at Russia-Africa summit in Moscow
Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted African leaders in Moscow for a summit aimed at strengthening ties and promoting a multipolar world order. Putin pledged to expand agricultural exports and share medical and digital technology to counter Western influence.
Why it matters
The summit highlights Russia's strategic efforts to maintain geopolitical influence and secure new economic partnerships amidst heavy Western sanctions.
A summit with nearly two dozen African leaders opened in Moscow Wednesday, with the Kremlin describing their countries as "natural allies" against the West.
The two-day Russia-Africa summit, the third since 2019, comes as Moscow grapples with heavy Western sanctions over its Ukraine offensive and as it provides security assistance to several African governments.
Moscow has courted ties with Africa since the Soviet era, and has long looked to the continent as a counterweight to what it sees as Western domination over international affairs.
"We are natural allies in building a multipolar world order," Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said of the summit, referring to a system where political power is no longer concentrated in the West.
Russian President Vladimir Putin meanwhile said that that multipolar world was quickly becoming a reality, in an "irreversible" trend.
Headlinne story · 4 newsrooms
Russia Opens High Level Summit to Deepen Ties With African Nations
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6 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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