Russia, on Thursday, was ready for military cooperation with West African countries, and providing them with weapons, especially after a number of these countries were expelled to the French forces where they were present.

The Associated Press stated that Russia discussed, on Thursday, ways to enhance military ties with the African coast countries, and promised to train their forces and provide them with weapons as part of its endeavor to expand its influence in West African countries that expelled the French forces.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, after talks with his counterparts from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, that Moscow is ready to help strengthen the armies of these countries and their security forces.

He pointed out that Russia will help the coast countries to form a joint military force by providing advisory services, noting that a large number of Russian military trainers are already working there.

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Lavrov continued: "Moscow has confirmed the willingness of the capabilities of the unified armed forces of the coast countries, enhancing the combat capacity of armies in the three countries, and training its forces and law enforcement elements in them," adding that Russia can also provide these countries with military equipment.

Russian Foreign Minister accused Ukraine of destabilizing the region, declaring that it "publicly supports terrorist groups in this part of Africa while its Western sponsors turn a blind eye to it.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mali, Abdullah Diop, supported Lavrov's statements, saying that his country considers Ukraine a "terrorist state."

Diop said: “We have common visions about fighting insecurity and terrorism in our region, which is supported by international sponsors from countries and regional parties. This includes Ukraine on the threshold of your door here, which we simply consider a terrorist state.”

The Mali government had cut diplomatic relations with Ukraine last year against allegations that Kiev helped in an attack by armed groups in northern Mali in July, killing dozens of Russian mercenaries and financial soldiers by jihadists and rebels, in what some observers described as one of the largest losses for Russian mercenaries in recent years.