Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa met with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Wednesday.
One of Ablakwa’s objectives, he told journalists earlier on Wednesday, was to secure the release of two Ghanaian prisoners of war captured by Ukraine after they were tricked into joining Russia’s armed forces.
Writing on Telegram, Zelensky did not mention this case in particular, but thanked Ablakwa for the visit – which he said marked “the first in the history of relations between our countries.”
“We discussed in detail how Russia recruits citizens of Ghana and other African countries to participate in the war against Ukraine, as well as how we can counteract this. The teams will be in touch on this matter,” Zelensky said.
There have been a number of high-profile cases involving men from African countries being tricked or lured into fighting for Russia in recent months.
Kenyan nationals captured fighting for Russia in Ukraine recall being “conscripted” or “press-ganged” into Russia’s full-scale war.
In South Africa, meanwhile, allegations that Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla – daughter of former South African president Jacob Zuma – sent 17 South Africans to join Russia’s armed forces on the pretext of bodyguard training have seen her forced to resign from all her official posts.
Regardless of the particular country, these men’s stories typically begin the same way – with the promise of well-paying jobs in Russia. Another recurring feature of these accounts is that, once recruits arrive in Russia, they are told to sign a Russian-language contract that they cannot read.
Ghana is set to chair the African Union next year, making it yet more important to “use this period to deepen ties between Ukraine and Africa,” Zelensky said.
The president and Ablakwa also discussed potential opportunities for cooperation in the agricultural, defense, and academic sectors.