West losing strategic ground to Russia in Sahel: German defence minister

FILE PHOTO: German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius visits NATO-enhanced Forward Presence battle group German troops in Rukla, Lithuania March 6, 2023. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins

(Reuters) - The West is losing geopolitical ground in Africa's Sahel region, which is strategically important due to Russia's competing presence there, Germany's Defence Minister Boris Pistorius told parliament on Wednesday.

Pistorius was speaking about Berlin's plans to deploy troops in a European Union military mission in Niger, which is seen as at risk of a possible spillover of violence from neighbouring Mali. The German deployment needs its parliament's approval.