Foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced a visit to Moscow on April 3-4 to seek closer ties as the rift widens with the west.
The foreign ministers were invited by their Russian peer Lavrov to the Moscow meeting which “represents an important step in establishing strategic, pragmatic, dynamic and supportive cooperation and partnership relations in areas of common interest between the AES and Russia,” the ministries said.
The three countries announced their withdrawal from the regional grouping ECOWAS and the set up the Confederation of Sahel States (AES). After sacking French and western troops they tilted closer to Russia in quest of military support to counter a growing terrorist activity.
Russia has provided military assistance to AES countries through the Wagner Group, a private military company known for its involvement in various conflicts worldwide.