So far, the military government in Bamako has not showed any credible signs of returning quickly to democracy; moreover, it is placing obstacles in the path of France’s engagement. This is unfortunate and now has severe consequences. We are in complete agreement with France and our partners on this matter and its consequences: The Barkhane and Takuba missions are no longer feasible for France on Malian territory under these conditions. This will also have an impact on our joint international engagement, and we are liaising closely with our partners on this. At the same time, our joint and long-term objectives in Mali have not changed, namely our will to improve people’s security and the region’s stability. Our engagement in Mali must be based on whether and how we can achieve these aims. In this context, we need to distinguish between the EU training mission EUTM Mali and the UN stabilisation mission MINUSMA, which provides support in implementing the peace agreement and fosters protection of the civilian population.