While the presence of 300 to 400 Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group in Mali has been confirmed by several diplomats, the Europeans present in the region, in particular through the Tabuka force, expressed their concern during an informal summit. European Union Defense and Foreign Affairs Ministers in Brest, January 13, 2022.
Especially since the Malian military junta resulting from the May 2021 coup no longer plans elections in 2022 as it had promised, but projects a transition that could last five years. Unacceptable for its neighbors Economic Community of West African States (Cédéao) who have decided to isolate Mali financially.
Unacceptable also for the Europeans who reproach the self-proclaimed president for having crossed a red line by calling on the services of mercenaries from the Russian group Wagner. Meeting in Brest on January 13, 2022, European defense ministers sought a response to what increasingly appears to be a change in Mali’s alliance in favor of Russia.
In a statement showing the embarrassment of Europeans, the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell declared that “the EU wishes to continue its military training missions in Mali, but not at any price”. And to add: “For now, our training and advisory missions to the Malian armed and internal security forces will continue” through the European Union Training Mission in Mali (EUTM), “but we have already suspended budgetary aid to the Malian authorities from the moment we learned that the elections were not going to take place”.
Several European countries present militarily in Mali say “very concerned” by the presence of Russian soldiers in the country. Estonia, Lithuania or Sweden, close to “the soviet bear” which they fear, above all do not want any incidents with Russian soldiers on the African terrain.
The Swedes currently have some 220 soldiers stationed in Mali as part of the United Nations Mission in Mali (Minusma) and another 150 as part of the French military operation Takuba, which aims to bring together special forces from different countries to accompany the local forces in combat. Sweden also has a contingent within the framework of the EUTM. Several parties in the Swedish parliament are calling for a quick departure of Swedish troops from Mali, but Foreign Minister Ann Linde believes a withdrawal must be coordinated with other European countries on the ground.
“Sweden is very concerned about the developments in Mali, both with regard to the presence of the (Russian) Wagner group and the postponement of the elections, intended to bring civilians back to power.”
Ann Linde, Swedish Foreign Ministerat AFP
“A new situation which raises the question of the French and European presence in Mali, because it will be more and more difficult to justify that French soldiers die for a country which no longer wishes their presence”, says expert on European and defense issues Nicolas Gros-Verheyde. According to him, as in the Central African Republic, the Russians want to take France’s place in the region. Except that Mali is much more strategic than the Central African Republic for the security of the whole of West Africa.