# Putin tells African leaders Russia is a partner, not a colonial power

Russian President Vladimir Putin told African leaders that Moscow is the continent’s best partner and will not pursue “neo-colonialism,” drawing a contrast with the West. The remarks come as Russia seeks to strengthen ties with African states and compete for influence on the continent.

**Importance:** 3/5

## Sources

### World
- [Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/10/28/putin-russia-is-african-continents-best-partner-not-colonial-west?traffic_source=rss) — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 19:13:32 +0000
- [Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/28/putin-tells-african-leaders-moscow-will-not-pursue-neo-colonialism?traffic_source=rss) — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 19:01:46 +0000
- [Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/video/inside-story/2026/10/29/does-russia-offer-african-countries-an-equal-partnership?traffic_source=rss) — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 20:34:28 +0000