Ghana says Putin Agreed to Ban Recruiting Ghanaians for Russia's War in Ukraine
Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said Vladimir Putin agreed during Russia–Africa summit talks to prohibit recruiting Ghanaian citizens for Russia's war against Ukraine, including through illegal recruitment or voluntary enlistment. Moscow did not confirm the claim. Russia and Ghana also agreed to cooperate on a 2,000 MW nuclear power plant, deepen defense ties and supply Ghana with weapons.
Key points
- Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said Putin agreed to ban recruiting Ghanaians for the war against Ukraine.
- The reported ban covers illegal recruitment and voluntary enlistment in the Russian army.
- The alleged agreement was reached during Russia–Africa summit talks.
- Moscow did not confirm Ablakwa's statement.
- Russia and Ghana agreed to cooperate on building a 2,000 MW nuclear power plant.
- Ghana's armed forces will receive weapons from Russia as defense cooperation deepens.
- Rosatom held talks with four African countries, including Ghana, about major nuclear-energy projects.
Why it matters
The reported restriction could limit Russia's recruitment of Ghanaian citizens for its war against Ukraine, a concern amid broader reports about the recruitment of foreign nationals. However, Moscow has not confirmed the claim. The other agreements also raise questions, as they combine restrictions on military participation with expanded Russian cooperation in nuclear energy, defense and arms supplies, agriculture and education.
What happened
Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said that Vladimir Putin agreed during negotiations at the Russia–Africa summit to prohibit the recruitment of Ghanaian citizens for Russia's war against Ukraine. According to Ablakwa, the restriction applies both to illegal recruitment and to voluntary enlistment in the Russian army. Moscow did not confirm his statement.
At the same time, Russia and Ghana agreed on several other forms of cooperation. The countries announced plans to collaborate on constructing a 2,000 MW nuclear power plant, deepen their defense ties and provide Ghana's armed forces with weapons. They also agreed on support for Ghana's agricultural sector and on increasing the number of scholarships for Ghanaian students in Russia. Rosatom had previously held talks with four African countries, including Ghana, about major nuclear-energy projects.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian-language coverage foregrounds Ghana's claim that Putin banned the recruitment and voluntary enlistment of Ghanaian citizens while emphasizing that Moscow did not confirm it. The reports place the claim alongside expanding Russia–Ghana cooperation in nuclear energy, defense and arms supplies, agriculture and scholarships, as well as broader reporting on the recruitment of foreign nationals and the fate of African prisoners of war.
Background
The alleged recruitment ban was reported to have been agreed during Russia–Africa summit negotiations. Bloomberg-linked reporting said Russia recruited 699 citizens of Burundi and 530 citizens of Zimbabwe between January 1 and September 30, 2026, and that recruitment from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Sudan and Cameroon increased during 2026. The project “Хочу жити” said citizens of 18 African countries had entered Ukrainian captivity during the full-scale war, while Russia returned no African prisoners of war in exchanges. It also reported that citizens of 59 countries had been captured by the Ukrainian Defence Forces during the war.