Al-Jazeera
May 25, 2022

Spain, UK say Russian influence in Africa threatens NATO security
Russia’s growing influence in Africa poses ‘worrying’ threat to security of NATO alliance, Spain and the UK’s defence ministers say

Russia’s expanding influence and activity in Africa pose a “worrying” threat to the security of NATO countries along with its invasion of Ukraine and must be addressed by the military alliance, the Spanish and British defence ministers have said.

At a joint news conference on Wednesday in Madrid, Spain’s Margarita Robles said the expansion of operations by the Russian state and Russian private security companies such as the Wagner Group in countries like Mali and Libya was “very clear”….

“NATO cannot remain indifferent in this situation,” she added.

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Wallace echoed Robles’s call for NATO to include defence of its southern flank in its new strategic concept, its basic military doctrine which will be drafted at the Madrid summit.

“NATO’s strategic concept has to involve the whole of NATO, all the territory it covers through its partnership,” he said.