Chadian transitional president Mahamat Idriss Deby on Wednesday met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, following a visit by Niger’s junta-appointed prime minister to Moscow.

Putin expressed Russia’s support for Deby’s efforts to stabilize Chad, offering assistance.

The Kremlin announced plans to double the quota for Chadian students in Russian universities.

Deby, in power since 2021 after his father’s death, initially promised an 18-month transition to elections, later postponed to October.

In a broader context, recent coups in Niger and Burkina Faso have led to shifts away from France toward closer ties with Russia, marking a strategic move by Moscow in West Africa and the Sahel to counter French influence since 2020.