Mali’s military leader, Assimi Goita, revealed on Tuesday that he held a significant phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin concerning the ongoing situation in Niger. This comes after a junta took control through a coup last month.
Goita conveyed via the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, that Putin emphasized the crucial need for a peaceful resolution in Niger to ensure a more stable Sahel region.
Concerns have arisen among Western nations, fearing that Niger might follow a similar path to its neighbor Mali. In Mali’s case, their leaders enlisted the aid of Russia’s Wagner group of mercenaries to combat an insurgency after overthrowing their democratic government three years ago and expelling French troops.
Interestingly, Putin has expressed the importance of restoring constitutional order in Niger, while Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Wagner, welcomed the recent coup.
These statements appear ironic considering Putin’s involvement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has claimed numerous lives. More than a year after Russia’s extensive invasion of Ukraine, the conflict seems to have reached a stalemate.
Since the Ukrainian forces liberated Kherson last November, both sides have engaged in a war of positions, with minor shifts in territorial control. The highly anticipated Russian winter offensive made little progress on the front line and failed to capture long-contested towns like Avdiivka, Mariinka, Bakhmut, and Vuhledar in the Donbas region.
In response, the Ukrainian army utilized fortified positions and arms supplied by Western nations to effectively repel Russian armored attacks. Even if Russian forces manage to capture the mostly devastated Bakhmut, the strong Ukrainian defenses around the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk area would impede further advances.
Support for Russia has seemingly surged in Niger since the coup on July 26, as evidenced by junta supporters waving Russian flags during rallies.
A significant development is expected as West African military leaders convene in Ghana’s capital, Accra, on Thursday and Friday. They will strategize for a potential military intervention aimed at restoring democratic order in Niger. This initiative is being coordinated by the regional bloc ECOWAS, and the outcome of this meeting will be closely observed.
