Russia and Niger Agree to Military Cooperation

Russia and Niger have agreed to work together militarily, the Russian Defense Ministry announced on January 16.

Russian deputy defense ministers Yunus-Bek Yevkurov and Alexander Fomin met their junta-appointed counterpart from Niger, Salifu Modi. They “decided to step up their combined action to stabilize the situation in the region” and “potential areas of cooperation were underlined,” Russian media reported.

This comes after Niger’s military coup in July of last year and seven other coups in neighboring African nations since 2020. The Niger junta ended its security agreements with the European Union last month and kicked out French troops.

Resource-rich: This region is key to a lot of resources Europe desperately needs.

• France uses 8,000 tons of uranium annually, and Niger is one of its top sources.
• It’s also key to European nations’ efforts to secure gas supplies, now that they’re buying less from Russia. One of its most ambitious projects is the $13 billion, 2,500-mile Trans-Saharan gas pipeline, which would take gas from Nigeria to a hub in Algeria, from which it would be distributed to Italy and Spain. The route goes straight through Niger.

The EU’s efforts to secure the region have proved ineffective, and it’s being kicked out.

The Trumpet said: As we wrote over the summer:

Europe needs a new strategy and a new commitment. If it fails, the storm system of migration, terrorist attacks and Russian energy dependence will only gather strength.

Watch for Europe to step up its efforts in this often-overlooked battleground. Watch for Italy and Germany to possibly replace France in taking the initiative.

For decades we’ve warned that Europe will clash with radical Islam in this region. To understand why, read our article “Why Niger Is a Catastrophe for Europe.”