Russian President Vladimir Putin told African leaders in Moscow that Russia is their best partner and accused the West of exploiting the continent's resources and using debt to hold back growth. The two-day third Russia-Africa Summit, which opened on Wednesday 28 Oct, drew delegations from 48 countries, including 22 heads of state. Putin plans one-to-one talks with most attending leaders on trade, security, arms and grain. Putin said Russian firms want to build manufacturing plants in Africa to bypass Western sanctions, and cited 2025 trade of $27 billion, down 2.4 % from 2024. Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, current African Union chair, co-chairs the summit.
At the Russia-Africa summit in Moscow on 28 Oct, President Vladimir Putin called Elon Musk a genius for deploying thousands of satellites. Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev said Russia has launched more than 30 satellites for its own broadband constellation, Rassvet, which is built by Bureau 1440 and remains in its early phase. Shadayev put Musk's Starlink network at more than 5,000 satellites, while the tracker Orbital Radar estimates close to 10,000. Putin said Moscow remains in close contact with American partners, including Musk, to keep orbit orderly. Ukraine, which relies on Starlink and its military version, reported service problems this month.
President Vladimir Putin holds talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Tuesday in Moscow, following a Gas Exporting Countries Forum hosted by the Kremlin. The meeting follows Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s remarks that it will build on Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s recent Tehran visit and aims to deepen political and economic ties. The forum also gathers African leaders and other gas‑producing nations, underscoring the strategic partnership between Russia and Iran.