The decision came during talks in the Spanish city of Toledo, which were also attended by the foreign minister of the ousted Niger civilian government. The talks also included Omar Alieu Touray, the president of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) commission.

Foreign ministers from the EU's 27 member states expressed deep concern and alarm over the mounting number of military coups on the African continent — with military leaders most recently seizing power in Gabon this week.

They agreed to start drafting sanctions against coup leaders in Niger — saying they would mirror measures levied by the West African regional body ECOWAS. The bloc's sanctions, however, would contain certain exemptions for humanitarian reasons.