The military government that seized power in Niger announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Ukraine, pointing out that Kiev is providing «support» to «terrorist groups.» The decision comes into effect immediately, AFP reports.
«Given the gravity of the situation and Ukraine’s recognized and suspected involvement in Mali’s aggression, the Government of the Republic of Niger, in full solidarity with the Government and people of Mali, is taking... the following measures: first, the immediate severance of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Niger and Ukraine, and second, an appeal to the UN Security Council to issue a decision on Ukrainian aggression and its sponsors,» Amadou Abdramane, a spokesman for Niger’s military transitional government, said in a televised address.
He also called on «the international community to confront Ukraine’s decision to defend terrorism in a global context that ignores the need to combat this evil.»
Earlier, Mali announced the severance of diplomatic relations with official Kiev.
Niger is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is one of the poorest countries in the world, consistently ranking among the last in the human development index. More than 80 percent of the country’s territory is located in the Sahara Desert, the rest is occupied by the semiarid region Sahel.
