Mali-Ukraine ties break down: Kiev regrets ‘hasty’ decision in Bamako

Ukraine on Monday expressed regret over Mali’s “hasty” decision to sever diplomatic ties with Kiev, accusing it of involvement in the disastrous defeat of the Malian army and the Russian paramilitary group Wagner at the hands of separatists and jihadists in late July.

“The decision of the transitional government of the Republic of Mali to sever diplomatic relations with Ukraine is short-sighted and hasty,” the Ukrainian Foreign Minister criticized in a press release.

In late July, separatists and jihadists said dozens of Wagner Group fighters and Malian soldiers had been killed, and Ukrainian military intelligence official Andriy Yusov suggested that Kiev had provided the insurgents with information that would allow them to carry out a successful attack.

Malian authorities accused Yusov of “acknowledging Ukraine’s involvement in a cowardly, treacherous and brutal attack” and accused Kiev of “supporting international terrorism.”

Ukraine’s foreign ministry assured on Monday that Ukraine “unconditionally abides by the norms of international law” and “firmly rejects the accusations of the Malian transitional government.”

“It is regrettable that the Transitional Government of the Republic of Mali has decided to sever diplomatic relations with Ukraine without thoroughly examining the facts and circumstances of the events in northern Mali,” she said.

She added that Ukraine “reserves the right to take all necessary political and diplomatic measures in response to the unfriendly actions of the Malian authorities.”

Since 2022, the Malian military junta has broken its old alliance with France and its European partners and turned to Russia militarily and politically.

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