Ukraine’s MFA reacts to Mali's statement on severance of diplomatic relations

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine said this in a statement, Ukrinform reports.

“The decision of the Transitional Government of the Republic of Mali to break off diplomatic relations with Ukraine is short-sighted and hasty… Ukraine unconditionally adheres to the norms of international law, the inviolability of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries, and resolutely rejects the accusations of the Transitional Government of Mali of alleged ‘Ukraine's support for international terrorism’,” the MFA stated.

The MFA underscored that it is Ukraine in the 20th century, being one of the founders of the United Nations, actively supported the right of African peoples to independence and decolonization, including the Republic of Mali. Instead, the Russian Federation, continuing its unprovoked full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine, destroys the architecture of international security, violates the Goals and Principles of the UN Charter, which in particular guarantee the right of African countries to free future, the MFA noted.

“Regrettably, the Transitional Government of the Republic of Mali decided to sever diplomatic relations with Ukraine without conducting a thorough study of the facts and circumstances of the incident in the north of Mali, and without providing any evidence of Ukraine's involvement in the mentioned event. At the same time, it is ignored that military structures controlled by the Kremlin, including Wagner, use terrorist methods and are directly involved in numerous war crimes, killings of civilians and ill-treatment of prisoners of war both in Ukraine and in African countries,” the statement says.

In this context, the MFA stressed that Ukraine reserves the right to take all necessary political and diplomatic measures in response to unfriendly actions of the Transitional Government of the Republic of Mali.

As reported, the Government of Mali has announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Ukraine due to its alleged support for the actions of the Tuareg rebels, who recently defeated a convoy of Malian military and Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group.