African leaders arrive in Russia for summit with Putin, as Kremlin seeks allies in Ukraine war
Some African leaders have arrived in Russia for a summit with President Vladimir Putin as the Kremlin seeks more allies amid the fighting in Ukraine
By AP News
Published - Jul 26, 2023, 10:34 AM ET
Last Updated - Jul 26, 2023, 10:34 AM EDT
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — Some African leaders arrived in Russia on Wednesday for a summit with President Vladimir Putin as the Kremlin seeks more allies amid the fighting in Ukraine.
Putin has billed the two-day summit that opens Thursday in St. Petersburg as a major event that would help bolster ties with a continent of 1.3 billion people that is increasingly assertive on the global stage.
On Wednesday, Putin is set to hold separate meetings with the leaders of Egypt and Ethiopia ahead of the summit.
Africa’s 54 nations make up the largest voting bloc at the United Nations and have been more divided than any other region on General Assembly resolutions criticizing Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
