West faces no good options in the Sahel: back juntas or risk jihadist expansion

Supporting the fight against jihadists in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger simultaneously strengthens military juntas and Russian influence in the region. Isolating these countries, on the other hand, helps groups like JNIM gain ground and deepens their dependence on Moscow. Analysts stress that the West must contain both threats at once, as there is no straightforward choice between two bad options.