The Impact of the Ukrainian Crisis on the Orientations of Russian Foreign Policy toward Africa (2014–2022)

Abstract

The Russian foreign policy has experienced radical changes both regionally and internationally since 2014. The series of events, including the conflict over the Crimea and the subsequent growth of the Russo-Ukrainian War in 2022, were the key elements in reshaping Russia's priorities. The annexation of the Crimean Peninsula to the Russia became a watershed in the relations between Russia and the West. Extensive economic and political sanctions were imposed on Russia with the aim of constraining its room for maneuver on the international stage. This prompted Russia to seek new avenues to strengthen its international standing and expand its network of partnerships. As a result, the Africa took a prominent role in Russia's efforts to find equilibrium between the pressures from other countries and to play its part in the multipolarization of the international order.