The decisions of Mali and Niger to terminate diplomatic relations with Ukraine will not have a significant impact on the development of our relations with African countries, Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tykhy said.

"I want to emphasize that these two decisions will not have a significant impact on Ukraine's relations with African countries. This is a separate bloc of countries that acted as they decided to do. However, despite this, Ukraine is actively implementing the African strategy," Tykhy said at a briefing on Tuesday.

The speaker noted that these decisions did not affect the negotiations with Malawi, Zambia and Mauritius, which Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba visited as part of his fourth African tour.

Tykhy also noted that such statements clearly show Russian traces.

"We all understand perfectly well that these countries, their ties with Russia, how much these countries depend on Russia. Of course, we understand that these decisions were not made only by these countries," he emphasized.

Earlier it became known that Mali and Niger announced the severance of diplomatic relations, accusing Ukraine of allegedly supporting Tuareg rebels who routed a column of Malian soldiers and Russian mercenaries of the "Wagner PMC" in late July.

The Foreign Ministry stated that these accusations "do not stand up to any criticism, are unfounded and do not correspond to reality."