The Sahel is quickly becoming an important battleground in a high-stakes geopolitical contest—and Russia is making bold moves. From military entanglements to economic footholds and disinformation campaigns, Moscow’s expanding influence is upending old alliances and forcing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Western governments to rethink their strategies.

Join Research Fellow Zineb Riboua as she interviews Mali-based expert Ulf Laessing, director of the Regional Sahel Program at the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, for a discussion on the shifting power dynamics in the Sahel.