Niger Announces Diplomatic Break with Ukraine

News from Niamey: The spokesperson of the military government of Niger, Amadou Abdoulrahmane, said in a statement on the 6th through the national television that Niger immediately severs diplomatic relations with Ukraine.

In the statement, Abdoulrahmane condemned Ukraine's support for "terrorist organizations" and expressed the hope that the UN Security Council would rule on Ukraine's "aggressive acts".

The transitional government of Mali issued a communique on the 4th, saying that the spokesperson of the Ukrainian military intelligence agency, Yusov, recently made "subversive" remarks, admitting that Ukraine was involved in attacks launched by armed terrorist groups, resulting in casualties and property losses of Malian forces during the battles in the northeastern part of the country. 

The actions of the Ukrainian authorities "violated Mali's sovereignty, exceeded the scope of foreign interference, and constituted a clear aggression against Mali". The transitional government of Mali decided to immediately sever diplomatic relations with Ukraine.

On July 6th of this year, the military leaders of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso held the first summit of the member states of the "Union of Sahel States" in the capital of Niger, Niamey, and announced the establishment of the "Confederation of Sahel States".