Ukraine eyeing larger diplomatic footprint in Africa: president Zelensky | World News

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned on Friday that Kyiv would increase its footprint in Africa subsequent yr by opening 10 new embassies and strengthening commerce ties with the continent.

Ukraine has been attempting to rally African international locations to its trigger because it fights off Russia's full-scale invasion, partly by selling a humanitarian grain initiative to assist alleviate starvation in extremely weak international locations.

Russia's blockade of Ukrainian agricultural exports by the Black Sea had sparked world grain and fertiliser shortages earlier this yr, endangering thousands and thousands, earlier than a U.N.-brokered deal partially eased it in July.

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"We're overhauling relations with dozens of African international locations," Zelenskiy instructed a gathering of diplomats in Kyiv. "Subsequent yr we have to strengthen this."

In addition to opening the brand new embassies, Zelenskiy mentioned, Ukraine would additionally goal to arrange commerce consultant places of work in a number of key hubs on the continent - which he described as a area "the place our pursuits are up to now represented lower than we want".

He didn't specify wherein international locations these new embassies or commerce places of work could be positioned, however added that he would love Ukraine to ultimately be represented in 30 international locations on the continent.