The first Russia-Africa Summit was held on 23–24 October 2019 in Sochi, Russia, co-hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. 43 heads of state or government were in attendance. Putin emphasized "state sovereignty" and Russian willingness to offer aid or trade deals "without political or other conditions", said that "an array of Western countries are resorting to pressure, intimidation and blackmail of sovereign African governments," against which Russia was well suited to help African states push back.