On Wednesday, Alexey Zaitsev, Deputy Director of the Information and Press Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, expressed skepticism regarding the potential military intervention by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Niger, stating that such intervention might not contribute to stabilizing the situation in the country.
Zaitsev emphasized during a press briefing that Russia support the mediation efforts being made by the African group to assist the Nigerien people in overcoming the crisis.
He further remarked that his country believe that the involvement of ECOWAS forces in the affairs of a sovereign state is unlikely to contribute to achieving lasting peace in Niger or to stabilizing the situation in the Sahel region as a whole.
As reported by Russian news agency “Sputnik,” Zaitsev highlighted, “We hope that acceptable solutions will be found within the framework of further diplomatic efforts by ECOWAS regarding Niger.”
ECOWAS had announced sanctions against Niger on July 30th, including the closure of its airspace and suspension of trade exchanges, following the military takeover and removal of the country’s president.
Abdourahamane Tiani, the head of the military council in Niger, rejected these sanctions last Thursday, denouncing them as unlawful, unjust, and inhumane in response to the military coup in the nation.
