WEST IS TRYING TO SABOTAGE RUSSIA-AFRICA SUMMIT, KREMLIN SAYS

Tue 25 July 2023:

The Kremlin accused the West, specifically the United States, of trying to sabotage the Russia-Africa summit later this week by pressuring African countries not to take part.

On Thursday and Friday, Putin is expected to hold intensive one-on-one talks with individual African leaders on trade, security, arms deals, and grain supplies.

The event follows Moscow’s first Russia-Africa summit in 2019.

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the West was trying to ruin the event.

“Virtually all African states have been subjected to unprecedented pressure from the US, and French embassies on the ground have not been sleeping either, along with other Western missions who are also trying to do their bit to prevent this summit from taking place,” Peskov told reporters.

“In essence, they do not accept the sovereign right of African states to independently determine their partners for co-operation and mutual interaction in various fields.”

Pressure From West

All African countries have been subjected to an unprecedented level of pressure from the United States, France and other Western nations to prevent the upcoming Russia-Africa summit, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.

“Pretty much all African states have been subjected to unprecedented pressure from the United States, the French embassies have not rested and do not rest to this day, and other Western missions are trying to contribute their share to these efforts in order to prevent this summit from being held, to prevent the representation of African states at this summit,” Peskov told reporters, adding that this pressure should be “condemned.

The spokesman also said that the summit is important as it will give an opportunity to discuss the Black Sea Grain Initiative and Russia’s support for Africa.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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