Kyiv, also spelled Kiev which is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine intends to invest significant political capital to deepen ties with African countries to counter Moscow’s influence on the continent. 

“We are starting from scratch in Africa. This continent needs systematic and long-term work. It’s not something that happens overnight,” he said in an interview Wednesday at the foreign ministry in Kyiv.

The Kremlin has longstanding partnerships with several countries in Africa that date to the Soviet era but Moscow has ramped up efforts to cement ties on the continent since becoming isolated from Western countries over the Ukraine war.

Kuleba compared Kyiv’s push to bolster ties with governments on the continent to a diplomatic “counteroffensive” against Russian efforts.

“Our strategy is not to replace Russia but to free Africa from Russia’s grip,” Kuleba said, adding that Ukraine wanted to approach those diplomatic interactions with “respect and with the principal of mutual benefit.”

Kyiv, also spelled Kiev which is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine intends to invest significant political capital to deepen ties with African countries to counter Moscow’s influence on the continent.

This was in contrast to Russia’s approach, said Kuleba. He told AFP that he believes the Kremlin’s most powerful exports to the region were fighters from the Wagner mercenary group and “propaganda.”

“Russia is trying very hard to keep countries in its orbit through coercion, bribery and fear,” he said.

“Russia has two tools for its work in Africa, the most powerful ones are propaganda and Wagner.”

Wagner has partnered with several African nations including Mali and the Central African Republic, leading to wide accusations of abuses by rights groups and Western governments.

Its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, a former Kremlin ally who fell afoul of the authorities after trying to topple Russia’s senior military leadership, has been sanctioned by the West for what they say is the mercenary group’s destructive role on the continent.

Kuleba also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s publicly voiced concerns about food security in Africa are baseless, given Moscow’s exit from the Black Sea grain deal.

The accord was brokered last year by the United Nations and Turkey, and allowed around 33 million tonnes of grain to leave Ukrainian ports, helping to stabilize global food prices and avert shortages. Russia exited the accord last month.

“People in Africa saw that all of Putin’s stories about how he cares about African countries are lies,” Kuleba said.

He described Ukrainian farmers and people in Africa depending on bread availability as the main victims of Moscow’s decision to end safe passage for cargo ships to and from Ukraine’s ports.

“Putin solves his own problems at the expense of Africans and Ukrainians,” Kuleba said.