Putin the pariah turns to Africa as relations with West at all-time low over Ukraine war

A Russian news station has reported Moscow will be reaching out to Africa and Asia to improve their diplomatic relations. This comes after Western sanctions have obliterated the Russian economy and Putin’s war has all but destroyed his relationship with the West. Russian news station NTV said on Twitter: “Russia will increase the composition of diplomatic missions in Africa and Asia and reformat the Central Office of the Foreign Ministry after the expulsion of Russian diplomats by the West, Lavrov said.”

Russia will also be seeking to solidify relations built with African nations through economic and military ties.

A report from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change showed that Russia is reviving Soviet-era ties with African countries for economic gain by providing military support.

Instability in African states is rife due to issues with poverty, inflation and inequalities, making deals with Russia for military assistance an attractive proposition to African governments – but it comes at the cost of growing Russian influence.

Since the invasion of Crimea in 2014, Russian PMCs, including the shadowy Wagner Group, have deployed to at least 19 African nations.

General Stephen Townsend, the commander of US armed forces in Africa, said Russian PMCs “essentially run the Central African Republic” in March.

Meanwhile, 17 African nations abstained and one voted against the UN’s resolution to condemn the invasion of Ukraine on March 2.

As for his efforts in Asia, China in particular has now not only neglected to condemn the invasion of Ukraine, but has recently stepped up its rhetorical support for Russia.

Foreing Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian tried to position China and Russia as nations of greater moral authority than the West for not causing confrontations.

He said: “An important takeaway from the success of China-Russia relations is that the two sides rise above the model of military and political alliance in the Cold War era.”

He added that this model involved not causing confrontations or targeting other nations – despite, of course, Putin both invading another country and reigniting Soviet-era ties with African countries.

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Both Beijing and Putin have said the invasion of Ukraine came as a result of the expansion of NATO, which came to represent Western interests during the Cold War.

Joe Biden has warned President Xi Jinping of “implications and consequences” if Beijing backs Moscow.

Mr Jinping responded that China did not want the war.

While there is no sign China has supported Russia or helped it to recover from sanctions, it has offered rhetorical support by repeating Russian conspiracy theories, such as the false claim that the US runs a network of weapons biolabs in Ukraine.

Beijing has also repeatedly indicated it stood by the “no limits” friendship Mr Jinping and Putin declared when they met just before the Winter Olympics in February in Beijing.

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Despite NTV only citing the expulsion of Russian diplomats from Western countries as the reason for Putin needing to turn elsewhere, the despot has just moved nuclear-capable missiles to the border with Finland in a major escalation for fears of nuclear war.

This was done under the same justification as the invasion of Ukraine – concerns over NATO expansion, as Finland announces its bid to join NATO alongside Sweden.

Meanwhile, peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv have reportedly been suspended, Mykhailo Podolyak has said.

The Ukrainian presidential advisor and negotiator blamed Russia’s “stereotypical mindset”.