Niger cuts ties with Ukraine amid growing rift
Niger has severed diplomatic relations with Ukraine, marking a deepening rift between certain West African nations and Kyiv. The military government of Niger announced this decision in “solidarity” with neighboring Mali, which had already cut ties with Ukraine two days earlier. Both countries took this step in response to comments made by a Ukrainian military official, who implied that Kyiv was involved in the recent killing of dozens of Malian soldiers.
Ukraine, engaged in an ongoing conflict with Russia, has been actively seeking allies in Africa, likely to counterbalance Moscow’s increasing influence on the continent. However, these efforts have faced significant setbacks.
In late July, a violent clash resulted in the deaths of many Malian soldiers and Russian Wagner group mercenaries, following battles with separatist rebels and militants linked to al-Qaeda. Mali’s military regime, which had turned to the Wagner group for support in addressing its security challenges, was incensed by remarks from Andriy Yusov, a Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman. Yusov stated that the rebels had received “necessary information” to carry out the attacks, though he did not provide further details.
Mali condemned Yusov’s comments as a violation of its sovereignty and immediately broke off diplomatic relations with Ukraine. Niger quickly followed suit, with government spokesman Amadou Abdramane labeling the Ukrainian remarks as “unacceptable.” Senegal also joined in the criticism, summoning Ukraine’s ambassador over a since-deleted video that appeared to support the attack in Mali.
While Ukraine has yet to respond to Niger’s actions, it dismissed Mali’s decision as “short-sighted and hasty,” reaffirming its commitment to international law and accusing Russian-backed groups of committing war crimes in Africa. Russia, on the other hand, accused Ukraine of attempting to open a “second front” in Africa, with a spokesperson claiming that Ukraine was aligning itself with terrorist groups in countries that maintain friendly ties with Moscow.
In recent years, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have experienced military coups, and their new governments have distanced themselves from Western allies, opting instead for Russian military assistance. As Russia’s influence in Africa grows, Ukraine has been trying to strengthen its ties with African nations, evidenced by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba’s recent visits to Malawi, Zambia, and Mauritius.
The future of Ukraine’s relations with other West African countries remains uncertain. Burkina Faso, which recently formed a bloc with Niger and Mali, could be the next to break ties with Ukraine. The broader impact of the Ukraine-Russia conflict is also felt beyond West Africa, with Wagner reportedly backing the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, which has been at war with the Sudanese army for over a year. Unverified reports suggest that Ukrainian special forces have been involved in drone strikes against RSF and Wagner fighters in Sudan.
As the conflict continues to influence African geopolitics, more than 70 mourners gathered in Moscow to honor Wagner fighters killed in the recent Mali attack, laying carnations and lighting candles in their memory.
Source: BBC
