While staying in northern Congo-Brazzaville this Tuesday, June 4, where he was received by President Denis Sassou-Nguesso, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described it as “ nonsense », the conference that Switzerland will host, in mid-June, on peace in Ukraine, without the participation of Russia.
4 mins
Sergey Lavrov spoke for an hour and a half with Denis Sassou Nguesso, according to our correspondent atBrazzaville, Loicia Martial. Their discussions focused, among other things, on the war between Russia and Ukraine. A file on which “ President Sassou showed understanding », assures the head of Russian diplomacy. “ He understands well that Ukraine is the instrument of the West, whose objective is to inflict a strategic defeat on the Russia “, he estimated. He also criticized the peace conference that Switzerland is to host in mid-June on the Russian invasion, to which the Kremlin is not invited.
“ I think this conference in Switzerland makes no sense. The only desired goal there could be is that they were trying to maintain this anti-Russian bloc which is deteriorating “, Mr. Lavrov said. While reiterating its neutrality, Congo indicated that it did not understand the exclusion of Russia.
“ The Russian Federation was excluded (from this conference) and we do not understand if it is really for the search for peace that this conference is meetingexplained Jean-Claude Gakosso, Congolese Minister of Foreign Affairs. Obviously, in a conflict of this kind, if we are really looking for peace, we need both protagonists at the table. “, he underlined, while reaffirming the neutrality of his country vis-à-vis this conflict.
On Libya, Lavrov attacks the West
Also on the agenda is the situation in Libya. In front of the press, Sergei Lavrov returned to the genesis of the Libyan conflict which began, according to his words, with the assassination of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. He accused the West of being responsible and of having participated in the destruction from this North African country. “ Our position is well known and our assessments of this conflict are also well known. We consider that what happened in Libya was a tragedy. It is a tragedy that occurred in 2011 and in which NATO members are involved “, did he declare.
Congo, which chairs the African Union High-Level Committee on Libya, is convinced that the end of the crisis requires the holding of an inter-Libyan reconciliation conference. Sergei Lavrov says he is ready to support this initiative: “ We support the initiative of President Denis Sassou-Nguesso which aims to organize an inter-Libyan conference. We will use our contacts with the various Libyan political actors so that this conference can take place. “, he promised.
The African Union wants this conflict to be resolved through truly African initiatives. Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the Libyariddled with divisions, is governed by two rival administrations: one in Tripoli (west) led by Abdelhamid Dbeibah and recognized by the UN, the other in the east, embodied by Parliament and affiliated with Khalifa’s camp Haftar, with whom Moscow maintains close relations.
Read alsoLavrov’s visit to Guinea: Conakry and Moscow want to strengthen their bilateral cooperation
Next stop, Burkina Faso
Russia has been leading a diplomatic offensive in Africa for several years to supplant traditional Western powers there. Isolated on the international scene and in search of allies, it has increased its efforts tenfold since its assault on Ukraine in February 2022.
After Congo, Sergei Lavrov landed Tuesday evening with his delegation in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, announced the Burkinabè Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a press release. The Sahelian country led by a military regime having obtained the departure of French troops at the beginning of 2023, before moving closer to Russia. Mr. Lavrov was welcomed by his counterpart, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, “ as part of a 48-hour friendship and work visit », According to the same source. After which, according to Sergei Lavrov’s entourage, he must also go to Chad.