Ukraine's foreign ministry rejects Mali and Niger accusations: 'no credible evidence'

What the ministry said

Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 2 November issued a comment “firmly rejecting” accusations by Mali and Niger that Ukraine supports illegal armed groups and interferes in the internal affairs of Sahel states.

The ministry noted that such accusations had been made before and were recently repeated, including during the high-level segment of the UN General Assembly in September 2026. “Since these states broke off diplomatic relations with Ukraine, no credible evidence has been provided to support these accusations,” it said.

Kyiv’s arguments

According to the ministry, the accusations reproduce key narratives of Russian propaganda aimed at undermining trust in Ukraine and its relations with African partners. Ukraine urged the international community to pay attention to the activities of Russian military structures in the Sahel, their role in destabilising the region and possible human rights violations.

“One cannot simultaneously demand respect for the sovereignty of African states and deny Ukraine’s right to sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders,” the ministry stressed. At the same time Kyiv said it was ready to discuss specific concerns with Mali, Niger and other Sahel states on the basis of facts and international law.

Context

In August 2024 Mali’s transitional government cut diplomatic ties with Ukraine, accusing it of supporting Tuareg rebels who had routed a column of Malian troops and Russian Wagner mercenaries. Niger followed later in 2024 “in solidarity” with Mali. Ukraine’s foreign ministry at the time called Mali’s decision “short-sighted and hasty” and rejected accusations of supporting terrorism.

Why it matters

Africa is one of the arenas of the information battle between Ukraine and Russia, which has a military presence in several Sahel countries. How Ukraine is perceived in the Global South affects, among other things, support for its positions at the UN.