But despite the major fight with Russia in Ukraine, it’s wrong to analyse entire continents through a US-Russia lens all the time, says Brian Katulis, who advised US policymakers on foreign policy and provided expert testimony several times to congressional committees.
He does not agree with the analysis that America’s foreign policy is a direct result of Russia’s expanding role in Africa.
“I think this overstates Russia's influence and power and potentially understates the role that countries like China and some European countries play in Africa,” Mr Katulis, vice president of policy at the Middle East Institute, told The National.
“If there is a vacuum in some countries in Africa, it is there due to the lack of poor governance by the governments of those countries, not the United States,” he said.