Ukraine's gamble in Africa seems shaky as Mali takes a harsh decision
Mali is preparing to prohibit the importation of Ukrainian goods following the formal severance of relations with Ukraine.
The diplomatic fallout began with comments from a Ukrainian representative interpreted as support for rebels against Malian and Russian forces.
Amid tensions, African and international accusations regarding geopolitical interference have been discussed, particularly in the Sahel region.
The revelation, made by Aliou Touankara, a deputy of Mali's National Transitional Council, reflects Bamako's growing dissatisfaction with Ukraine in the context of mounting geopolitical tensions in the Sahel.
"I believe that the first step has already been taken - diplomatic relations with Ukraine have been severed. Moreover, it would be nice to ban Ukrainian products in the Alliance of Sahel States," he said.
The diplomatic fallout stems from a controversial statement made in July 2024 by Andriy Yusov, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence (GUR), as per Pravda.
His remarks, which many interpreted as an admission of Kyiv's indirect support to rebels opposing Malian and Russian forces, sparked outrage in Mali's transitional government.
'The rebels received all the necessary information they needed, and not just the information, which allowed them to conduct a successful military operation against Russian perpetrators of war crimes,' Yusov said. 'We certainly won't go into details now, you will see more of this in the future.'
The statement sought to link Ukraine to an attack that killed at least 84 Russian Wagner mercenaries and 47 Malian soldiers.
As a result, Mali cut diplomatic ties with Ukraine, joining neighboring Niger.
Allegations of destabilization and Ukrainian arms deals
In August 2024, Xavier Messe a Tiati, Director General of the Cameroon News Agency, claimed that French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were working together to destabilize the AES group, which includes Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
These charges, albeit unproven, are consistent with anti-Western themes gaining hold in various Sahelian cities.
Adding to regional concerns, the Nigerian federal government released a news statement in November 2022 highlighting the increasing movement of weaponry and ammunition from the Russia-Ukraine conflict into the Lake Chad Basin.
Then-President Muhammadu Buhari warned of the security ramifications and asked for enhanced vigilance along Nigeria's borders, an early indicator that the rippling effects of the conflict in Eastern Europe were reaching African soil.
Ukraine's recent push in Africa
Despite tense relations with several African countries, Ukraine has pushed to deepen ties with the continent.
In February 2025, Kyiv announced intentions to look into the creation of a logistics hub in Egypt to facilitate the shipment of Ukrainian agricultural goods to Africa, a move intended to strengthen food security in the wake of global grain shortages.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized Kyiv's renewed attention on Africa with a landmark visit to South Africa in April 2025, his first since taking office in 2019.
The visit, however, was unexpectedly cut short due to a Russian bombing on Kyiv, highlighting the fragility of Ukraine's diplomatic attempts amid its ongoing confrontation with Russia.
South Africa's relationship with Ukraine has always been complicated.
South Africa, like some African countries, refrained from denouncing Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 while maintaining close ties with Moscow.
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'If we misuse them, or worse, allow them to end up in the pockets of thieves, our chances of victory diminish. All our resources must go toward the fight.' The protests have raised questions about the state of democracy in Ukraine — one of the values it is fighting for in the war with Russia. 'When a spectacle is staged and pushed through in 24 hours for everyone to swallow, that is not justice,' former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Instagram. The government defends the move In his address Tuesday night, Zelenskyy insisted that the country's anti-corruption infrastructure 'will continue to function' after it is 'cleansed of any Russian influence.' He alleged that some cases had been allowed to languish and the targets of some investigations never brought to justice. 'For years, officials who have fled Ukraine have been casually living abroad for some reason — in very nice countries and without legal consequences — and this is not normal,' he said in a Telegram post. 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