Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba has said that Ukraine's strategy in the issue of relations with the African continent is not to replace the Russian Federation, but to free Africa from Russian control.

In an interview with Agence France-Presse, Kuleba noted that Ukraine has begun systematic efforts to “revive” its relations with Africa. He also stressed that the Russian Federation uses “coercion, bribery and fear” to maintain its influence on this continent.

“Many years have been lost, but we will push forward the Ukrainian-African renaissance, revive these relations. This continent needs systematic and long-term work,” the Foreign Minister said.

According to Kuleba, “there is a slow erosion of Russia's positions in Africa,” referring to Liberia, Kenya, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Rwanda and Equatorial Guinea as Ukraine's new partners on the continent.

“We don't want to be Russia. Our strategy is not to replace the Russian Federation, but to free Africa from the Russian ‘grip,’ the minister explained, adding that Ukraine would like to build relations with Africa ‘respectfully and on the principles of mutual benefit.’”

At the same time, he noted that Russia has “two of the most powerful tools of work in Africa: propaganda and PMC Wagner.

Speaking about Russia's withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Kuleba stressed that “people in Africa have seen that all Putin's stories about how he cares about African countries are lies.”