Riddle published on 18 December 2025 an analysis titled "Russia-Africa Ties Catch Global Tailwinds in 2025" by Ivan U. Klyszcz, research fellow at the International Centre for Defence and Security, a think tank in the Nordic and Baltic space.
Russia and Egypt are cohosting this week the 2nd Russia-Africa ministerial conference, which is setting the agenda for the 2026 Russia-Africa summit. The focus is on expanding trade with Africa, which is currently smaller than Ukraine's trade with the continent. Russian investment barely registers, and Moscow has fallen from the number one arms supplier to number two.
On the other hand, Russia's covert and security ties with Africa remain robust. Moscow now has 22 "Russia House" branches in Africa, opened two new embassies in 2025, and has plans for five more. The author adds that "with the US abandoning its leadership role, Moscow--working in tandem with Beijing--gains more space to offer governments worldwide an alternative to the US-led, post-Cold War order." In addition, President Trump "has expressed open contempt (if not hatred) toward the continent."
