West Africa's regional bloc on Wednesday said a military intervention in junta-ruled Niger was "the last resort" as Nigeria cut electricity supplies to intensify pressure on the country's coup leaders.

Niger has ignored a seven-day deadline to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum set by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The bloc prepares to hold a special summit on Thursday. What steps can it now realistically take?

Ahead of an ECOWAS summit debating a response to the Niger coup, Germany has called for the return to "constitutional order." Meanwhile, ousted president Bazoum's house arrest conditions are said to be "deteriorating."

The coup in Niger has people asking about potential links to Russia. Neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso have turned to the Kremlin after severing ties with France. Is Moscow behind Niger's coup?

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Regional analysts have said the move by West African leaders to activate a standby force to counter the junta in Niger represents a failure of diplomacy and is unlikely to succeed.

Niger's Junta said on Sunday they had gathered enough evidence to prosecute ousted President Mohamed Bazoum for high treason following his imprisonment last month and Niger's military subsequent dissolving of the elected government.

Defense chiefs from members of the ECOWAS regional bloc meet in Accra to discuss the crisis in Niger. Last week the body activated a "standby force" potentially to intervene in Niger.

West African defence chiefs met in Ghana on Thursday to discuss a possible military intervention in Niger after coup leaders there ignored their deadline to step down. Nigeria has emerged as the strongest voice pushing for military action but all the ECOWAS leaders at the summit said diplomacy remains their preferred route out of the crisis.

Niger's coup leader said "our ambition is not to confiscate power." This comes as an ECOWAS delegation arrived for peace talks after indicating a standby force was ready to intervene.

ECOWAS sanctions on Niger appear to be a double-edged sword. Many Nigerians living near the border with Niger, which Nigeria shut after the coup, say the economic and humanitarian impacts are enormous.

The EU foreign ministers met to discuss ways to help West Africa's ECOWAS regional group handle the military takeover in Niger. The meeting came the junta stripped the French ambassador of diplomatic immunity.