Burkina Faso's Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore praised the country's growing cooperation with Russia, saying it "suits" Burkina Faso better than its historic ties with France.

Following a 2022 military coup, Burkina Faso broke from Paris and turned to Russia for support, including army instructors to help fight terrorist insurgents.

At the Russia-Africa summit in Sochi, Traore called Russia a "partner with whom we can make progress" and emphasized there is "no fear" of becoming militarily dependent on Moscow.

Traore also stated that the cooperation with Russia "is better suited to the people" of Burkina Faso. He also noted that both Russia and Burkina Faso have faced "cliches constructed by other partners" in the West.

Additionally, Traore dismissed the myth that Ouagadougou could become too reliant on Russia militarily, stressing that "there is no room for fear, because we know what we want and where we want to go. And we know how we want to work with our new partners," he told AFP.

France : Russia 'greatest threat to France,' particularly in Africa

In an interview, earlier in October, with Le Point magazine, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu emphasized that Russia is currently France’s primary adversary. This discussion coincided with the release of Lecornu’s new book, where he outlined the security challenges facing Paris at this time.

When asked about the greatest threat to France, excluding terrorist groups, Lecornu stated, "Clearly it is the Russian Federation." He highlighted that Moscow has become "even more aggressive" this year compared to 2022 and 2023.

Lecornu claimed that Russia threatens not only French interests in Africa but also poses a direct risk to the French Armed Forces positioned on non-French territories. He noted that "the Russian air traffic control has threatened to shoot down a French Rafale patrol."

Furthermore, Lecornu accused Russia of engaging in "information warfare" and of "militarizing new environments, including the seabed and cyberspace."

The French defense chief did not specify incidents, but both Russia and NATO have accused each other of risky aerial maneuvers.

In March, Russia claimed its jets escorted two French Rafale warplanes over the Black Sea. Furthermore, Russia has warned that France’s arms supplies to Ukraine could lead to dangerous escalation.

Additionally, in January, Russia summoned the French ambassador over the presence of "French mercenaries" in Ukraine, which France acknowledged but denied facilitating.

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