The head of the European Union's foreign policy service, Josep Borrell, is conducting "persecution diplomacy" against the delegation of the Russian Foreign Ministry in Africa, the official representative of the diplomatic body, Maria Zakharova, said on air on Sputnik radio on Wednesday.
"Literally on the heels, at every step, the European Union, NATO and the United States of America, but first of all Borrell – I think this is part of his job – they just really persecute the Russian delegation in terms of information, and then in practical terms," she said.
Zakharova also noted that the Russian side manages to execute its foreign policy goals without the EU, while drawing attention to the "arrogance and hatred" with which Borrell's comments are made regarding the ongoing tour of the Russian delegation.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov paid his first working visit to Mali on Tuesday. In the country's capital, Bamako, the diplomat held talks with his Malian counterpart Abdoulaye Diop and interim President Assimi Goita. They discussed the economic relations between the two countries and the need for their development, the problems of security and terrorism, as well as participation in the Russia-Africa summit.
At a press conference in Bamako, the head of Russian diplomacy said that Moscow sees how negatively the West regards the strengthening of relations between Russia and Mali and that such a reaction violates the principles of equality in terms of international relations. He also noted that the former colonizers should forget how they conquered the African continent – because the world has changed.
In his turn, Mali's foreign minister said that his country does not need to justify its cooperation with Russia to anybody.
After traveling to Mali, Russia's foreign minister arrived in Mauritania, and is planning to visit Sudan next.