While touring Africa, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed the upcoming Ukraine peace security conference set for July in Switzerland. Lavrov made several remarks during his tour, including a statement that any French military instructors in Ukraine would be a "legitimate target" for Russian forces. This declaration was made at a joint news conference with the Republic of Congo's Foreign Minister Jean Claude Gakosso.
Lavrov asserted that French instructors were already present in Ukraine, training Kyiv's troops. He emphasized that "regardless of their status, military officials or mercenaries represent a legitimate target for our armed forces."
Ukraine's top commander confirmed having signed paperwork allowing French military instructors into Ukrainian training centers. However, French President Emmanuel Macron recently refrained from commenting on "rumors" about French troops in Ukraine. Macron’s office also declined to respond to Lavrov's comments.
Leaked documents in April 2023 indicated that special forces from Western countries, including the UK, US, the Baltic States, and France, were present in Ukraine. The specific activities and consistent numbers of these troops remain unclear.
Lavrov's visit to the Republic of Congo was his second stop on his African tour. Earlier, he visited Guinea and met with the country's foreign minister. Lavrov has frequently visited Africa in recent years as Russia seeks to bolster support amid its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. During this tour, Lavrov reiterated his dismissal of the Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland, labeling it as meaningless and an attempt to maintain an "anti-Russian bloc."
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Asia to garner support for the conference, to which Russia has not been invited.
Lavrov landed in Burkina Faso's capital, Ouagadougou, on Tuesday evening. He is scheduled to meet with the country's leader, Captain Ibrahim Traore, on Wednesday before heading to Chad later in the day.
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