The United States has formally cautioned Madagascar regarding its expanding military relationship with Russia. Lieutenant General John Brennan, the deputy commander of US Africa Command, stated that Washington is monitoring how Moscow extends its security partnerships beyond the Sahel region. According to Africanews, the US military leadership believes that the current model of cooperation with military-led governments in West Africa has not successfully reduced militant violence, and they are concerned this approach may be replicated in the Indian Ocean.
Brennan highlighted the strategic importance of the Mozambique Channel, a critical maritime trade route separating Madagascar from mainland Africa. He noted that as the Middle East conflict forces shipping onto alternative routes, the waterway has become even more vital to international commerce. The US is particularly concerned that militants operating in northern Mozambique could develop maritime capabilities that threaten this traffic, a risk that could be exacerbated if Russia’s influence grows in the region. Africanews reported that Brennan described the location of both Madagascar and Mozambique as extremely important for global trade.
Russia has increased its military footprint in Madagascar since the island nation’s army seized power in 2025. According to Africanews, Moscow has supplied the country with weapons and military instructors from its paramilitary Africa Corps. President Michaël Randrianirina has actively pursued these ties, recently signing agreements on defence, trade, and tourism during a Russia-Africa summit. He also travelled to Moscow in February for a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, a visit that marked the first official trip by a Malagasy leader to the Russian capital in nearly five decades. The two nations have continued to deepen their cooperation despite the shifting geopolitical landscape.
In his assessment, Brennan described Russia’s approach in the Sahel and East Africa as largely ineffective. He suggested that Moscow’s primary motives involve controlling natural resources and influencing local populations, which could lead to further regional destabilisation. While acknowledging that partners are free to choose their allies, Brennan urged them to understand the associated risks. As of the latest reports, Madagascar has not issued a public response to these specific warnings from Washington, though its military government continues to align its foreign policy with Moscow.