Why some African countries are thinking twice about calling out Putin

LAGOS, Nigeria (CNN) - Nelson Mandela was once asked why he still had relationships with, among others, Fidel Castro and Yasser Arafat, the Cuban and Palestinian leaders who had been branded terrorists by Western powers.

The revered South African statesman replied that it was a mistake "to think that their enemies should be our enemies." 

This stance has largely typified some African nations' response to the Russia-Ukraine war.

Across the continent, many appear hesitant to risk their own security, foreign investment and trade by backing one side in this conflict.

While there has been widespread condemnation of the attacks on Ukrainian civilians and their own citizens fleeing the warzone -- from countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya -- there has been a much more muted response from some key African nations.

Countries on the continent find themselves in a delicate position and will not want to get drawn into proxy battles, says Remi Adekoya, associate lecturer at England's University of York.

"There's a strong strand of thought in African diplomacy that says African states should maintain the principle of non-interference and so they shouldn't get caught up in proxy wars between the East and the West.

As some states did get caught up in proxy wars during the Cold War, for instance," Adekoya told CNN.