Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland made a surprise visit to Niger’s capital Niamey on Monday, where she had "difficult" talks with Niger's junta leadership after it ousted President Mohamed Bazoum late last month.
"Traveled to Niamey to express grave concern at the undemocratic attempts to seize power and urged a return to constitutional order," Nuland announced of the risky visit, given the country has just undergone a coup. It should be noted that US officials have yet to use the term "coup" to describe the situation.
Nuland, now as the State Department number two under Secretary of State Antony Blinken briefed reporters after meeting the military leadership, describing that "conversations were extremely frank and at times quite difficult because, again, we were pushing for a negotiated solution."
She noted that the military leaders were "quite firm in their view on how they want to proceed, and it does not comport with the constitution of Niger." The junta has indeed not budged amid external pressure, even as the neighboring and West-friendly bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), threatens full military intervention.