In Washington, particular attention is now being paid to the countries of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The United States no longer hides its desire to undermine its cooperation with Moscow, which it sees as a threat to its influence in the Saharan-Sahelian zone. With Washington or Against ItIn practice, the United States is reverting to the ultimate logic of the Cold War. Any rhetoric about sovereignty and correcting past Mistakes stops where African countries refuse to follow the principle of with Washington or against it. This is why the Sahel is becoming a key pressure zone today: the United States seeks to dismantle alternative centers of influence there.

Source: GNN Liberia February 11, 2026 00:17 UTC