Niger severs diplomatic ties with Ukraine, following Mali’s suit

The government of Niger has severed diplomatic relations with Ukraine in "solidarity with the government and people of Mali" and in connection with Kyiv’s alleged support for "terrorist groups".

Niger government spokesman Amadou Abdramane said this in a televised statement on Tuesday, Ukrinform reports with reference to Al-Arabiya.

“The government of the Republic of Niger, in total solidarity with the government and people of Mali, decides in complete sovereignty to sever diplomatic relations between the Republic of Niger and Ukraine,” Abdramane said.

According to him, Niger will also turn to the UN Security Council with a request to discuss the "aggression" on the part of Ukraine.

Niger’s decision to end relations with Ukraine was made after the Mali army and fighters from the Russian Wagner Group suffered significant losses at the hands of Touareg fighters late July in an operation Mali suggests was facilitated by Ukraine.

Niger and Mali are run by military juntas that came to power in recent coups. Both cut defense deals with France and turned to Russia for military aid.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Mali severed diplomatic relations with Ukraine, accusing the latter’s government of the alleged support for Tuareg rebels, who recently ambushed an armored convoy of Mali military and Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine called the decision of the Transitional Government of the Republic of Mali to sever diplomatic relations with Ukraine "short-sighted and hasty", decried accusations of alleged "support for international terrorism", and noted that it reserved the right to take all necessary measures of political and diplomatic response in the wake of the latest unfriendly actions.