Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister accuses US of attempting to disrupt July’s Russia-Africa summit

America has been accused of attempting to disrupt the upcoming Russia-Africa summit that will be held in St. Petersburg in July 2023.

According to Mikhail Bogdanov, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, the United States is putting unprecedented pressure on African countries in an attempt to disrupt the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg in July 2023.

The special representative of the President of the Russian Federation for the Middle East and African countries stated this during an interview with the TASS news agency on Saturday, February 25.

“Indeed, the United States and its allies are waging an unprecedented campaign to isolate Russia politically and economically, including disrupting the holding of the second Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg in July”, Bogdanov told the outlet.

He continued: “Since the beginning of the special military operation, the collective West has significantly increased pressure on African countries – through the threat of sanctions, and the termination of financial and humanitarian aid. Also with grain and fertilisers and, as a result, the exacerbation of socio-economic problems on the continent”, he emphasised.

Bogdanov stressed that in the traditions of Russian diplomacy, which has a long history, it is: “to take into account all possible external factors, promote its own agenda, put the state interests of Russia and its friends at the forefront, and we do not intend to deviate from this course”, he stressed.

“Our country resolutely upholds the principle of free choice of the development path of sovereign countries, which is the key idea of ​​the forthcoming second Russia-Africa summit”, the minister added.

At present, according to the Deputy Minister, preparations for the event are in full swing, and its agenda is being worked out together with the Africans.

“We are receiving confirmation of participation in the upcoming summit from the leaders of the states of the continent, and this is a signal for us of principled support from a significant bloc of countries, despite the enormous pressure from the West”, Bogdanov concluded.

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