By Elizabeth Chukwuma
The endless war between Ukraine and Russia which had made the North American country of the United States, US and the European Union, EU, countries, particular, France and Germany to lose out in extracting Lithium and Uranium and other mineral resources, from the Donbas region of Ukraine, which had been annexed by Russia appears to have made the US and Franch government to resort to Plan B.
President Donald Trump, who is not happy that Vladimir Putin, the Russian Leader had entered into the Sahel States of Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali, which are endowed with rich mineral resources like gold, Uranium, Tantalum , diamond, phosphate, Lithium and other minerals like Ukraine was said to have forcefully moved into Niger, a neighbouring West African country to Nigeria to open a new military base that could protect American mining companies.
Given that the American soldiers were almost gaining ground in the country may have encouraged Abdulrahmane Tichani, an Army General and the country’s interim President to cry out to Capt. Ibrahim Traore, the Burkinabe leader and arrowhead of the Alliance for Shel States comprising, AES, comprising of Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali, with a planned one currency, one military an one foreign policy, but who in turn had reached out to Putin for help.
Gen. TChiani, knew that his home country do not have the capacity to chase out the American soldiers as the Confederation working Constitution has not yet come into Force, meaning that only a stronger Force could counter the American soldiers which are desperate to enter into the country endowed with abundant uranium used for building nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons.
Given that Gen. Tchiani, do not want his country Niger, to be turned to another Democratic Republic of Congo, which Patrice Lumumba, Jr, a professor had said has rich mineral resources including cobalt estimated at $34.1 trn but remains one of the poorest in the world.
Russia which had entered into a nuclear operation agreement with the Niger’s led military Government that includes plans to build nuclear plants and overhaul the country’s energy infrastructure may have seen President Trump’s moves to establish a military base in Niger as a threat to the country.
Given that Trump had tried to use force to intimidate the Nigerien government into signing an already prepared Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, with them which would have made a mockery of the earlier signed MOU with Russia, that had focused on electricity generation, nuclear medicine and workforce training as well as create an entire system for the development of peaceful atomic energy in Nige, he went into action to rubbish the plan.
Russia, may have outsmarted the US and France, which is currently reeling with outstanding debt of over €34trn as it was said to started building a nuclear plant facility in the uranium rich Niger, described as the first nuclear power plant in the West African Sub-region.
There is no gain saying the fact that the US President who do want the project to take off the ground by using force on the Nigerien government to sign an MOU, with them may have played into the hands of Russian leader who already bear grudge against the NATO, member countries, particular, US, France and Germany, over their support for Ukraine was said to have deployed the country Special military Force into Niger , working alongside the country’s military to drive out the American soldiers.
While the US, government is moving aggressively to take over countries endowed with rich mineral resources to sustain its bartered economy due to the too many proxy wars which it is currently fighting using its over 700 military bases scattered all over the world, may have given Putin the audacity to give the matching order to the country’s military to deploy soldiers to the Russia-Polish border , to resume military exercise in the area. The Russian President was said to have also increased military support for the eastern Ukraine to protect the annexed regions.
The Russian Leader who could not hide his feelings may have sent a signal to the US, France, Germany and other EU, countries Leaders to prepare for real war as Russia is no longer ready to Negotiate for ceasefire in the ongoing war with Ukraine but to take over the entire country by sheer use of force. He has his reason. He noted that this is the only way to force the US, UK, France, Germany and other NATO, member countries which are hiding under the cover of Ukraine to sell long -range ballistic missiles to it to use and attack Russia but to use it.
T Russian Leader, whose country had already annexed Crimea, Donestk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and almost in complete control of the Baltic and Odessa regions had given a poser to the NATO countries: I want to know if Ukraine and it ceases to be an independent country, which other Central European country NATO will fund and sell their advanced weapons to fight Russia ostensibly to weaken it militarily.
Perhaps, Poland, where NATO fighter jets are scattered looking out for Russian drones to intercept in the country’s restricted air space which borders Ukraine may be the next target. President Putin, from the onset had known that that Volodymyr Zelenskyy led Ukraine do not have the military strength, let alone the weapons to fight Russia but had relied on the US, Germany France, and UK, for support but using Poland as a base to spy on Russia.
Aware that the era of fighting proxy war with Russia, using Ukraine is over may have informed why President Emmanuel Macron, whose country is currently facing severe economic problem as 14 African countries which remit 80% of their foreign exchange reserves in French Treasury and also gives it free access to their mineral resources based on the colonial deals had cancelled it.
It was not surprising why the embattled President Macron, who is facing internal crisis as France under his leadership in 12 months was said to have had four Prime Ministers PM, meaning that he is ineffective to govern the country. On Wednesday, September 10, 2025, crisis erupted in Paris and other parts of France.
Despite appointment of Sebastien Lecornu, as the country’s Prime Minister, on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, being the fifth over the last 12 months, following the resignation of Francois Bayrou, the immediate former PM. , over poor management of the country’s economy , increasing relentlessness over the country’s political and Fiscal impasse, protests had erupted in Paris and other parts of France as pressure mounted on Macron to step aside .
The French President, who is under intense pressure to step aside over crumbling economy and rejected by the colonized countries in the West and Central African sub-regions, may have know that neither France nor Germany has the military strength to face Russia in an outbreak of War, that he had solicited for the support of 26 other countries in Europe, to come together to deploy reassurance troops in Ukraine to fight alongside the country soldiers on ground, in the sea or in the air against Russia
President Macron, may have made the countries Leaders to believe that ‘’the troops would not be deployed on the front line’’ but aim to prevent any new aggression on Ukraine by Russia. He may have made a U-turn from his earlier remarks when he declared that the 26 nations troops that would be deployed to Ukraine would provide security guarantees while remaining outside Ukraine by, helping to train and equip Ukrainian forces.
He was said to have prepared the mind of the medical doctors in French Hospitals to be ready to receive wounded and fallen soldiers in a potential conflict between the EU and Russia by March, 2026. He had said that between 10, 000 and 50,000 men would be expected in the Hospitals over a period of 180days that the war may likely last.
Meanwhile, Germany Chancellor, Frederick Merz, has given approval to Zelenskyy, whose country has not been admitted into NATO but still an observer to go ahead and use the country delivered weapons to hit targets in Russia. The argument in European circles was that that Kyiv had the right under international Law ‘’to defend itself against attacks coming from inside Russia, close to the border with Ukraine.
At present there are more than 80,000 American Forces in Europe. Another 1,7000 troops were said to have been sent to the European countries including Ukraine during former President Joe Biden’s Administration. More 3,000 American troops were said to have been sent to have been sent to the Continent in 2022, barely, 11 months, before Biden vacated office after the had lost the 2023, Presidential election to the incumbent President Trump.
President Macron, who have pleaded with Trump to support Europe in the planned war with Russia as he could no longer sit on the fence why Europe burn, had warned that America may not be spared if war broke out between Europe and Russia.
Determined to end the war between Ukraine and Russia before it escalates into WW3,the US, President was said to have made a demand to the EU and US, officials during a meeting on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, in Washington the US Capital, to discuss options to increase economic pressure on Russia, as the country’s strikes on Ukraine which had extended to Kyiv, the country’s capital and other major cities had intensified.
President Trump was said to have called on the EU, countries to hit the Asian countries of China and India with tariffs of up to 100% in order to force the Russian leader to end the war with Ukraine.
China and India, which are the major buyers of Russian oil, according to Trump helps’’ to keep the country’s economy and war machine afloat’’. Last August, the US, government had imposed 50% tariffs on goods from India, which was said to have also included a 25% penalty for its transactions with Russia. There are indications that the EU countries on its own had spent $1 trn in 2024, to import oil and gas from Russia.
Although, Mark Rutte, the EU, Secretary General, had repeatedly said that member countries would end their dependency on Russian oil and gas but unconfirmed report indicates that around 19% of Russian oil and gas still enter Europe from there.
Scott Besent, US, Secretary of Treasury was said to have told the EU, Leaders at the all-important meeting, that the country is prepared ‘’to escalate the economic pressure on Russia’’ to bow to pressure to end he war with Ukraine but needed stronger European backing to have the desired impact on the country.
President Trump, who believes in American interest first when it comes to business, was said to have told the EU, Leadersat the Washington DC, meeting that the US and India were continuing negotiations ‘’to address trade barriers between the two countries in order not to be taken unawares when they get to hear of the outcome.
He was said to have disclosed of plans ‘’to speak Narendra Modi, the Indian Prime Minister in the coming weeks to conclude their trade barrier talks, which Modi, had reportedly said would be a successful discussion as ‘’the two countries are close friends and natural partners’’.
The CNN, had reported recently about plans by the American President who is quietly preparing to travel to South Korea in October, had concluded arrangement to sit with Xi Jinping, the Chinese Leader to discuss on how to end their trade wars and resolve it once and for all. President Trump may have opted a neutral ground for the meeting with Jinping as the Chinese Leader would not accept any invitation to the US, for such a meeting or Trump, accept any invitation to China to hold the meeting with Jinping. The international Community are watching to see how US, Europe, Russia and China are going to restore total security in the world.
