The Russian news agency TASS reported yesterday that Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov stated that the United States is exerting "unprecedented pressure" on African countries, attempting to hinder the upcoming Russia-Africa Summit scheduled to take place in five months.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to host the second Russia-Africa Summit in July in St. Petersburg, an event aimed at reaffirming his efforts to gain support from African countries after being rejected by the West due to his invasion of Ukraine a year ago.
TASS reported that Bogdanov reiterated Moscow's accusations against the "collective West" of launching a campaign to isolate Russia.
Bogdanov told TASS, "The United States and its allies are waging an unprecedented campaign to isolate Russia politically and economically, including disrupting the second Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg."
Moscow describes its invasion of Ukraine as a "special military operation," while Kyiv and its Western allies say it was an aggressive colonial act to seize territory.
Bogdanov said, "Since the beginning of the special military operation, the collective West has significantly increased pressure on African countries by threatening to impose sanctions and halt financial and humanitarian aid."
Since the beginning of the war that claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions, Moscow has turned to China, India, and African countries in an attempt to strengthen relations there.
Russia is particularly seeking to gain the favor of African countries, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has already visited the continent twice this year in addition to his trip there in the middle of last year.