Putin is gathering African leaders in Moscow and seeking to strengthen his influence on the continent, according to Bloomberg

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will host dozens of African leaders in Moscow to deepen ties with countries on the continent and strengthen Russia’s influence. Africa’s importance to Moscow has grown since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Delegations from 48 countries are expected to attend the third Russia-Africa Summit, which begins on Wednesday. Twenty-two countries will be represented at the head-of-state level.

The Kremlin reported that Vladimir Putin plans to hold bilateral meetings with the leaders of participating countries and to address the summit’s plenary session on Thursday.

Among the expected guests are Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Kenyan President William Ruto, and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

The summit will be co-chaired by Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye, who currently serves as chair of the African Union.

The Kremlin also stated that participants plan to adopt a joint declaration and a separate communiqué on artificial intelligence. In addition, a number of other agreements are expected to be signed.

As Bloomberg notes, the summit is an opportunity for Putin to demonstrate that Western efforts to isolate Russia over the war against Ukraine have not completely severed Moscow’s international ties. At the same time, the Kremlin is trying to restore its influence on the African continent, which has significantly weakened since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Since the start of the full-scale war, Russia has been more actively seeking partners outside the West. African nations are of interest to Moscow as potential political and economic partners.

At the same time, Russia’s position in the region faces competition from other countries, particularly China, Western nations, and India.

Another factor that could influence the course of the talks in Moscow is the complaints from the governments of several African countries regarding attempts to recruit their citizens to participate in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

This issue could become a source of tension during meetings between Russian leaders and representatives of African states.

Alexander Baunov, a senior research fellow at the Carnegie Russia-Eurasia Center, explained that African countries understand the limitations of Russia’s capabilities on the continent compared to the presence of other international players.

“Africans are well aware of Russia’s relatively modest position on the continent and the much stronger presence of China, the West, and even India. For African countries, ties with Russia are a way to counterbalance this much larger presence to some extent,” explained Alexander Baunov.

Thus, the summit in Moscow is expected to serve as a platform for strengthening Russia’s relations with African nations. At the same time, the issue of recruiting citizens for the war against Ukraine and competition with other international partners could complicate the negotiations.

This is according to Bloomberg. 

As a reminder, Russia has stepped up its search for mercenaries in African countries, particularly in Zimbabwe and Burundi. According to Bloomberg, citing a presentation by Ukrainian intelligence agencies, Moscow is attempting to recruit people from countries with weak democratic institutions and limited press freedom.

Citizens of African countries who fought on Russia’s side and were taken prisoner by Ukraine appealed to participants at the “Russia–Africa” summit in Moscow. They are asking for help in returning home. According to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, citizens of 18 African countries have been taken prisoner by Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion, but Russia has yet to return a single foreign prisoner of war as part of an exchange.