The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Ghana has rejected remarks by European Union Ambassador to Ghana Rune Skinnebach describing Russia as “neither a credible nor reliable partner” for Ghana, saying the assessment misrepresents the nature of Russia’s relations with African countries.
The Russian Embassy issued its response following remarks by Skinnebach published by the Ghanaian monthly The Diplomatic Times. The Embassy said Russia has remained a “consistent and predictable partner” to African states for decades and maintained that its relations with the continent are based on equality, mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs.
According to the Embassy, the tone of the EU representative’s comments reflects what Moscow considers Brussels’ adversarial approach towards Russia. It accused the European Union of using criticism and what it described as propaganda as part of a broader campaign against Moscow.
The Embassy also disputed the EU Ambassador’s assessment of Russian investment projects in Africa, arguing that delays in some projects are the result of Western sanctions and financial restrictions rather than a lack of willingness or capacity on Russia’s part.
It said sanctions imposed by the United States, the European Union and their allies have created difficulties for Russian projects by affecting financing, logistics and payments. The Embassy further alleged that African banks, companies and individuals working with Russian entities face pressure and potential exclusion from dollar-denominated transactions.
Moscow described the sanctions regime as a form of unfair competition and “neo-colonial pressure”, arguing that the restrictions limit African countries’ access to alternative avenues for development.
The Embassy said Ghana and Russia continue to discuss cooperation in areas including trade, investment, energy and technology. It also pointed to growth in trade turnover between the two countries during the first half of 2026 as evidence of continued economic engagement.
The statement also challenged the EU Ambassador’s call for Ghana to defend international law and the sovereignty of states.
The Russian Embassy accused the European Union and some of its member states, particularly France, of contributing to instability in the Sahel. It argued that European powers have historically treated Africa as an arena for competition and maintained economic dependence on the continent even after political decolonisation.
Russia, the Embassy said, has no colonial history in Africa and instead seeks to develop relations based on what it described as mutually beneficial cooperation.
The Embassy also strongly rejected the EU Ambassador’s references to Ukrainian children allegedly being illegally deported to Russia.
It criticised a recent event in Accra held under the “Bring Kids Back UA” initiative with the support of the EU delegation and the Embassy of the Netherlands, describing the initiative as an attempt to promote what Moscow considers a false narrative about Russia among Ghanaian and African audiences.
The Embassy claimed that Ukraine had officially provided Russia with a list of 339 children allegedly located in Russia. According to the Russian side, some of the cases were subsequently found to involve children who had never been displaced, had already left Russia, had declined to return to Ukraine or had reached adulthood.
The Embassy said the remaining cases were being investigated by the relevant authorities and maintained that Russia has been evacuating children from combat zones for their safety and facilitating family reunification.
The Russian position on the issue is disputed by Ukraine and Western governments, which have accused Russia of forcibly transferring Ukrainian children from occupied areas. The issue remains one of the most contentious humanitarian aspects of the war in Ukraine.
The Embassy said communication channels involving the Ukrainian side and international intermediaries, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, were being used to facilitate the reunification of children with relatives.
It also alleged that Ukrainian attacks on civilian infrastructure in Russian territory have resulted in the deaths of children. The statement specifically referred to an alleged 22 May 2026 strike in Starobelsk, which it said killed 21 people and injured 65 others.
The Embassy further stated that Russia is seeking the return of children separated from their parents who are believed to be in Ukraine or Europe. It said Moscow had provided Ukraine with a list of 20 children and claimed that none had yet been returned.
The issue of the recruitment of Ghanaian nationals for military service in Russia was another point of disagreement.
The Embassy rejected allegations that Russia is deliberately recruiting African citizens through deceptive schemes. It acknowledged that Russian law permits foreign nationals to serve in the Russian military on a contractual basis but denied engaging in illegal recruitment.
At the same time, the Embassy accused Western countries of facilitating the participation of foreign nationals in the war in Ukraine, arguing that Ukraine has attracted foreign fighters from various parts of the world.
The Russian statement also addressed criticism of patriotic education in Russia.
The Embassy defended Russia’s approach to teaching children about patriotism, history and national traditions. It rejected criticism from the EU representative and contrasted Russia’s educational approach with social and gender policies in several European countries.
The comments reflect a wider ideological dispute between Russia and the European Union over social values, education and the role of the state in shaping cultural and national identity.
Concluding its response, the Russian Embassy maintained that attempts to portray Russia as an unreliable partner are unjustified.
It said Russia would continue to regard Ghana as an equal and sovereign partner and pledged to pursue cooperation in areas including trade, investment, energy and technology.
“Russia has been, is, and will remain a reliable, predictable and equal partner to Ghana,” the Embassy said, stressing that Moscow’s approach is to offer Ghana “additional opportunities” rather than dictate terms.
The exchange comes as Ghana and other African countries navigate an increasingly competitive international environment, with Russia, the European Union, the United States and other global powers seeking to deepen their political and economic relationships across the continent.
Source: Thepressradio.com
