Uganda’s Museveni defends ties with Russia during Lavrov’s visit

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Tuesday defended his country’s ties with Russia as Moscow’s top diplomat toured Africa to rally support for the war in Ukraine.

“How can we be against someone who has never harmed us,” said the veteran Ugandan leader along with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at a press conference in the city of Entebbe.

“If Russia makes mistakes, we tell them. If they haven’t made mistakes, we can’t be against them,” he added, praising Russia for supporting anti-colonial movements in Africa.

Uganda was one of 17 African nations to abstain in March on a UN resolution overwhelmingly condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

However, vulnerable countries on the continent and elsewhere in the world have been hit hard by the aftermath of the war, which has pushed up fuel and food prices.

Lavrov insisted that Russia was not to blame.

“There is a very vocal campaign about it, but our African friends understand its root cause,” Lavrov said.

“They have nothing to do with what’s happening inside the military special operation,” he said, using the Kremlin’s term for the conflict.

Lavrov’s trip comes on the heels of a landmark deal Russia and Ukraine signed with the United Nations and Turkey on Friday, aimed at easing the global food crisis caused by blocked grain shipments in the Black Sea.

Less than 24 hours later, Moscow attacked Ukraine’s Odessa port – one of three exit hubs specified in the deal – sparking anger in Kyiv and fueling fears that the Kremlin would not go through with the deal.

As relations with the West have collapsed over the conflict, Lavrov said Africa will play a bigger role in Russia’s foreign policy.

Museveni also said Kampala will work with Moscow on a range of areas including space, energy, agriculture and vaccines.

“Our interest in Russia is that if there is progress with Russia, we (Africa) will benefit,” he added.

Lavrov arrived in Ethiopia later Tuesday, on the final leg of a journey that took him to Egypt and Congo-Brazzaville before Uganda.