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Russia pledged Wednesday to maintain its military backing for the three junta-led governments of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, deepening a partnership that has reshaped security and diplomatic alignments across one of the world's most volatile regions.
The commitment came during a visit to Niamey by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who met with the foreign ministers of the three nations in what officials described as a "high-level" gathering.
In a joint statement, Russia and the Alliance of Sahel States, known by its French acronym AES, said Moscow would "continue its support for strengthening the operational capacities of AES member states' armed forces."
The meeting follows a similar ministerial session held in Moscow in April 2025, signaling the consolidation of a structured diplomatic channel between Russia and the bloc.
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger are each governed by military regimes that seized power through coups between 2020 and 2023.
After taking control, all three juntas expelled French forces and diplomats, severing ties with Paris, which had long been the dominant outside security partner in the region, and pivoting toward Moscow.
They subsequently formalized their partnership by founding the AES, a breakaway regional grouping that has strained relations with the West and drawn criticism from the Economic Community of West African States.
Russia's engagement goes beyond diplomacy. Moscow has deployed its Africa Corps, the successor to the Wagner Group paramilitary organization, to help AES governments combat extremist insurgencies linked to the Daesh and al-Qaeda affiliates.
Those conflicts have killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions more across the broader Sahel belt, making it one of the deadliest theaters of extremist violence in the world.
Beyond security, Russia is seeking to expand its footprint in the economic sphere. Moscow has signaled interest in closer cooperation with AES countries in the energy and mining sectors, areas where Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger hold significant untapped resources, including gold, uranium and other critical minerals.
The three countries sit atop some of West Africa's most substantial mineral wealth, making them attractive partners for a Russia navigating Western sanctions and looking to diversify its global economic relationships.
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