Lavrov accuses US of trying to 'torpedo' Russia-Africa summit

The US is trying to wreck Russia's planned summit with African countries as part of efforts to isolate Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.

Lavrov, in an interview with Argumenty i Fakty published on Tuesday, said that Moscow was different from Western countries in its relations with Africa in that "we never tell our foreign partners how they are supposed to live. We have no secret agenda."

Moscow is preparing for its second summit with African countries, scheduled for the end of July in St Petersburg, including work on infrastructure, technology and energy projects.

"It is true that the United States and its vassals are doing everything possible to achieve Russia's international isolation," Lavrov told the website. "In particular, they are trying to torpedo the planned second Russia-Africa summit ... to persuade our African friends not to take part."

In any case, Lavrov said, the chances of damaging the conference were diminishing as "fewer and fewer people are now willing to pull out all the stops for former colonial powers.

"Attempts to interfere in our cooperation with countries for the global South and East will therefore continue, but success is far from guaranteed."

READ MORE: US accuses Russia of exploiting Africa 'to fund' Ukraine conflict

'Our Africa policy is about Africa'

The US State Department, in a statement, did not address Lavrov's accusations directly, but said Washington was pursuing strong relationships with African countries "to address the shared challenges we face. Our Africa policy is about Africa."

The statement quoted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken as saying the United States "[doesn't] want to limit African partnerships with other countries. We want to give African countries choices."

Lavrov has been particularly eager to nurture ties with Africa, visiting the continent twice this year as well as making a tour in mid-2022.

South Africa this year held 10 days of military exercises with the Russian and Chinese militaries.

And the Wagner Group of Russian mercenaries, active in what Moscow described as its "special military operation" in Ukraine, has been deployed against insurgents in Mali and the Central African Republic.

US President Joe Biden hosted a US-Africa leaders summit in 2022 in Washington, seeking to bolster alliances amid the growing Russian and Chinese presence on the continent.

READ MORE: US envoy: Africa trip isn’t to catch up with China and Russia