Ukraine's Foreign Minister begins his second Africa tour

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba began his second African tour this week, starting in Morocco, as he seeks to challenge Russia’s influence on the continent.

Kuleba plans to endorse President Volodymyr Zelensky’s peace formula and guarantee grain supplies flow to African countries, Foreign Minister wrote on his Instagram on May 22.

This is the first visit to Morocco by a Ukrainian foreign minister since the start of the bilateral relations and the second Kuleba’s tour in Africa after the first one in October 2022.

Foreign Minister did not reveal which other countries he plans to visit during the tour.

Earlier in May, leaders of six African nations announced plans for a diplomatic delegation to hold talks with both Kyiv and Moscow, touting their own peace plan proposal.

Russia's all-out war prevented Ukraine, one of the world's top grain suppliers, from exporting agricultural products from its Black Sea ports. Africa has been one of the most affected continents.

On May 17, the Black Sea Grain Initiative, allowing Ukraine to continue exporting its grain amid Russia's full-scale war, was extended for 60 more days.

Moscow has long nurtured good relations with the governments on the African continent.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov toured Africa in July 2022 and February 2023 to ramp up support for his country and blame Ukraine for a lack of food supplies amid Russia’s naval blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea ports, vital for the export of Ukrainian grain.

As Ukraine looks West, Russia wins over Africa

Since its independence, Ukraine’s diplomatic efforts have focused primarily on looking West. Meanwhile, Russia has set its sights all over the world. While the Euro-Atlantic world has been firm in its support of Ukraine, condemning Russia’s all-out war, the African continent, home to 54 countries a…

Kyiv IndependentAlexander Khrebet