The Russia-Africa summit strengthened Putin's influence on the continent, reports Bloomberg. The West's attempts to isolate Russia do not prevent Moscow from strengthening political, military and diplomatic ties with the region. The Russian presence is particularly prominent in the Sahel countries, and at the same time Moscow is opening new embassies, developing educational programs and helping local companies enter African markets. "For Putin, the summit was another opportunity to demonstrate the limitations of the West's efforts to isolate Russia over the conflict in Ukraine," the article said.