The two reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening ties and fighting terrorism, the Kremlin says
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with Mali’s interim leader, Assimi Goita, on Tuesday. They discussed issues including the security situation in the Sahel region, which has endured more than a decade of jihadist violence.
Both leaders reiterated their commitment to “further enhance trade and economic relations, cooperation in providing security, and fighting terrorism,” based on “agreements reached” at the recent Russia-Africa summit, the Kremlin said in a statement.
The Russian president and his Malian counterpart have engaged in regular telephone discussions in recent months following the Second Russia-Africa Summit in July. Putin promised at the conference to ship up to 50,000 tons of free grain to some African countries, including Mali, in order to avert a food crisis after Moscow’s withdrawal from the Black Sea grain…