Moscow: Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov hosted talks Thursday with his counterparts from the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). A statement by the Russian Defense Ministry quoted Belousov as saying that the past month marked a year since the establishment of the AES, comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.

According to Anadolu Agency, Belousov noted his ministry's readiness to provide comprehensive assistance to ensure stability in the region, also quoting him saying that Moscow supports the AES's position on the 'need to strengthen security, protect territories and sovereignty.' Belousov emphasized that the four-party dialogue will become an important format for discussing issues of strengthening cooperation in the defense sphere.

The statement also mentioned that Malian Defense Minister Sadio Camara delivered a speech during the meeting on behalf of Belousov's AES counterparts, noting the shared desire to strengthen the strategic partnership between their countries. Camara highlighted that currently, cooperation in the field of defense is the largest area of cooperation between the AES member countries and Russia.

The parties signed a joint statement on the results of the consultations following the talks, as well as memorandums of understanding between the Russian and AES defense ministries. The AES was created as a mutual defense pact in September 2023 and formalized into a confederation on July 6, 2024, signing a treaty to deepen the defense pact and expand cooperation in defense, economic, and social sectors.