 Today's summit follows calls by some heads of state for negotiations with the military rulers. Niger school leader Abdurrahman Etienne has ruled out returning to ECOWAS, accusing it of being manipulated by the former colonial ruler, France. The military hunters have expelled French troops from their countries and turned to Russia for military assistance. The U.S. is the latest Western power to pull its forces out of Niger after the country cancelled its military cooperation with Washington.