At a meeting in Moscow Thursday, Russia and a group of west African countries led by military juntas hailed growing military ties, while condemning Ukraine as a “terrorist” state.
Facing isolation in the West following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has tried to build new partnerships in Africa, where it has been growing in influence in recent years, including militarily.
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Foreign ministers from Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso are in Moscow for a summit with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, which he said aimed to “strengthen the whole suite of our relations.”
The three Sahelian countries are led by juntas who seized power in coups and have turned away from former colonial power France while moving closer to Russia, which sends mercenaries to help them fight a jihadist insurgency.
Mali’s Abdoulaye Diop said that Mali and Russia share views on “fighting against terrorism.”
“We consider Ukraine as simply a terrorist state,” the minister said at a press conference.
Mali last year broke off diplomatic relations with Ukraine, accusing a senior Ukrainian official of having admitted Kyiv played a role in a heavy defeat suffered by Malian troops.
Members of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group were among the casualties in the defeat, which Mali’s military rulers blamed on “separatists and jihadists.”
Niger then joined Mali in cutting diplomatic ties, accusing Kyiv of supporting “terrorist groups.”
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As America walks away from helping Ukraine, Europe is stepping up.
“Some players outside the region are continuing attempts at destabilization,” Lavrov said.
“Among these... is the Kyiv regime,” which “openly supports terrorist groups in this part of Africa.”
Russia’s army is intensifying its cooperation with Mali, Lavrov said at the first talks between Russia and the African countries’ newly created confederation, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
Moscow has concluded defense agreements with Mali, Burkina, and Niger and supplied them with military equipment.
Russia is ready to help “strengthen the three countries’ combat capability” and train soldiers and law enforcement officers, Lavrov said.
He added that Moscow could help the countries form a joint armed force “by organizing special courses, by using instructors who are already working in large numbers in the countries” and by “supplying military production.”
Already with Mali, “defense cooperation is developing intensively: our servicemen are actively cooperating with Mali’s military, personnel training is being carried out,” Lavrov told Diop.
The Malian minister hailed Russia as a “sincere and constant ally,” saying that the African countries want a “win-win partnership” with Moscow.