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EU leaders are gathering for a summit with African counterparts that is likely to be overshadowed by the Ukraine crisis.
Before joining leaders from the African Union, EU chiefs will hold a special session on Thursday devoted to the crisis triggered by the deployment of more than 100,000 Russian troops near the border with Ukraine.
Russia will be a factor in the discussions on Africa too, as France is expected to pull troops out of Mali, where mercenaries from the Russian Wagner Group have been operating.
Meanwhile, also in Brussels, NATO defense ministers will meet their counterparts from Ukraine and Georgia.
Follow POLITICO’s live blog for the latest news, reaction and analysis from the summit and other developments in the Ukraine crisis.