THE United States is "exerting unprecedented pressure" on African countries, including attempting to disrupt a planned Russia-Africa summit, Russia's deputy foreign minister was quoted as saying late on Saturday. President Vladimir Putin will host the second Russia-Africa summit in July in St. Petersburg, an event intended to underline his attempts to curry favour in African nations after being shunned by the West over his invasion of Ukraine a year ago. Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, quoted by the state TASS agency reiterated Moscow's accusations of the "collective West" staging a campaign to isolate Moscow. "The United States and its allies are…