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Instability in Africa carries risks for Europe, says Italian defense chief

According to Guido Crosetto, the European Union "must become a political player to solve the numerous problems that don’t seem to be affecting EU citizens at this point but may rear their head in the near future"

MADRID, August 30. /TASS/. Instability in African countries carries risks for Europe, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said at an informal meeting of EU defense chiefs in the Spanish city of Toledo.

"Every time an African country faces instability - I’m talking about the Sahel region, Niger and Gabon - the risk for Europe grows; the risk of terrorists, criminals, human traffickers and arms dealers emerging," the Italian Defense Ministry quoted him as saying.

According to Crosetto, the European Union "must become a political player to solve the numerous problems that don’t seem to be affecting EU citizens at this point but may rear their head in the near future."

When commenting on the Ukrainian crisis, the Italian defense chief expressed the opinion that "there need to be two ways" to resolve it. "On the one hand, we should continue to assist Ukraine, and Italy has done more here than any other country, but on the other hand, we need to try to build dialogue that would pave the way for a just peace between Ukraine and Russia," Crosetto emphasized.

Earlier, a group of high-ranking officers in the Gabonese armed forces announced on state television that they had taken power in the country. The rebels consist of officers serving in the Central African nation’s security forces, armed forces and police, as well as members of the national guard and presidential guard. The rebels canceled the results of the August 26 presidential vote that resulted in President Ali Bongo Ondimba’s election as head of state. The military said that the president was under house arrest "surrounded by his family and doctors." He confirmed in a video that he was being held at the presidential residence.

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Inauguration of the Russian President

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