Putin courts Africa leaders at Moscow summit to expand influence

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with President of the Presidential Council of Libya at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow on Tuesday. | AFP-JIJI

Bloomberg

Oct 28, 2026

Russian President Vladimir Putin will host dozens of African leaders in Moscow as the Kremlin seeks to deepen ties with a continent that has taken on greater strategic importance for Russia since its 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Delegations from 48 countries including 22 represented by heads of state are expected to attend the third Russia-Africa summit that opens Wednesday, according to state media. Putin plans a series of bilateral meetings with visiting leaders and will take part in the summit’s plenary session on Thursday, the Kremlin said.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Kenyan President William Ruto and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed are among the leaders due in Moscow. Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye, the current African Union chairman, will co-chair the summit.

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