Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have turned to Russia. Now the United States wants to participate

Unlike the West African regional bloc Economic Community of West African States, France, the European Union and the Biden administration, today’s White House does not view Russia’s military presence as a threat to regional stability or human rights. Russia has deployed about 1,000 security contractors in Mali and smaller mercenary or regular army contingents in Burkina Faso and Niger.