German Foreign Minister seeks stop to Mali-Russian collaboration

While visiting Mali, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock issued a warning that European soldiers would not collaborate with Mali’s military if it continued to have ties to Russia.

Bamako’s Baerbock told a press conference that she fears “major war crimes” are being perpetrated against Malian people, similar to what Russian soldiers have done in Syria and Ukraine, according to Baerbock.

Officially, Russia has provided Mali with military instructors.

U.S. and French officials claim that the instructors are agents of the Wagner, a Russian private security agency.

The Kremlin’s paramilitary arm, the mysterious organization, has long been suspected.

Delays in elections and the presence of Wagner agents have caused a divide between Russia and Western countries.

On Monday, the European Union suspended its military training operation in Mali, citing inadequate guarantees from Mali regarding Wagner.

As Baerbock put it, “We can’t continue to cooperate without delineation from Russian soldiers.”

The EU training operation in Mali includes about 300 German soldiers.