Vladimir Putin wants to make Africa a “priority” for Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that he gave “priority” to relations with African countries, as Moscow was looking for new partners to face international sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine.

“I want to emphasize that our country has always given and will continue to give priority to cooperation with African states,” Vladimir Putin said in Moscow during a speech to African representatives.

“Our country is determined to continue building a full strategic partnership with our African friends, and we are ready to shape the global agenda together,” the Russian president continued.

Common “traditional moral values”

Vladimir Putin believed that Russia, like Africa, “defends traditional moral values” by “resisting the neocolonial ideology imposed from abroad”.

He also promised to supply “the most needy countries in Africa” with cereals if the important agreement on Ukrainian exports was not renewed in two months.