Peskov: relations between Russia and Africa are not directed against third countries

Russia is developing good and constructive relations with all African states, they are not directed against third countries, said Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the Russian President. The Kremlin would not want these relations to become “a matter of concern to anyone,” he added.

Journalists asked Peskov to comment on the words of French President Emmanuel Macron, who accused Russia in destabilizing the situation in African countries.

“No, Russia is developing its good relations, constructive relations based on mutual respect, on mutual consideration of each other’s concerns, problems, relations with all African countries. And these relations are in no way directed and cannot be directed against third countries. But we also would not want these relations to actually become a matter of concern for anyone,” Peskov said.

At the end of March, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke at the plenary session of the international parliamentary conference “Russia-Africa in a multipolar world.” The event was a preparation for the second Russia-Africa summit, the dates of which were previously changed for July 27-28. In the Kremlin explained reducing the terms of the summit by nuanced program.

Putin said that the first Russia-Africa summit, which took place in Sochi in 2019, allowed Russia to revive ties with the states of the continent. Moscow “has always given and will continue to give priority to cooperation with African states,” the president said, calling it one of the invariable priorities of Russian foreign policy.

The head of state stressed that African countries are striving to pursue an independent and sovereign foreign and domestic policy, and said that Russia and Africa “oppose the neo-colonial ideology imposed from outside.” “By the way, many states of Asia, the Middle East and Latin America adhere to similar positions, and together we make up the world majority,” the president said then.