Russian FM in Congo: Libya, war in Ukraine and cooperation top agenda

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Congolese president Denis Sassou-Nguesso on the second leg of his Africa tour.

High on the agenda was the political crisis in Libya. Sassou-Nguesso is the chair of the African Union High-Level Committee on Libya and seeks to organize an inter-Libyan summit.

On Tuesday (Jun. 4), Congo's top diplomat Jean-Claude Gakosso held a presser in Oyo with his Russian counterpart.

Brazaville has called for a negociated end to the war in Ukraine.

"In our eyes those who urge to send troops on the ground do not help the peace process, but on the contrary, they put all humanity under the risk of fatal and definitive confrontation," Gakosso the Foreign reckoned.

"This is not a very responsible position."

The deadly war in Ukraine escalated two years ago when Russia sent troops in neighbouring Ukraine.

Switzerland will host on June 15 and 16 a conference set to discuss peace. However Russia was not invited.

Lavrov has slammed the upcoming conference.

"The conference in Switzerland, of course, we have said more than once, and all objective politicians understand that it has no other meaning but to try preserve the collapsing anti-Russian bloc."

Ukraine outlawed negotiations with Vladimir Poutine in 2022.

At the end of Lavrov's working visit, Moscow and Brazzaville reaffirmed their commitment to increase mutually beneficial cooperation.

Later on Tuesday, Sergey Lavrov held talks with Foreign Minister of Burkina Faso Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré in Ouagadougou.