Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appealed directly to Ghana and 46 other countries to protect their citizens from being drawn into Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, Zelenskyy said Russia was using citizens from 47 countries in its war effort, naming Ghana among the countries whose nationals he said had become involved in the conflict.
He said some foreign nationals had reached Russia through what he described as deception and misleading promises, while others had subsequently been sent to the battlefield.
Zelenskyy urged representatives of the affected countries to take steps to protect their citizens and prevent them from becoming further involved in the conflict.
He specifically appealed to the governments of the 47 countries to take responsibility for the safety of their nationals and not allow them to be drawn into what he described as Russia’s war.
The Ukrainian president did not provide a breakdown of how many Ghanaian nationals he believed were involved, nor did he give details about individual recruitment cases during his UN address.
His comments come amid concerns raised by the Ghanaian government over the reported recruitment of Ghanaian nationals for military involvement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
In August 2026, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa disclosed that 62 Ghanaians had died and 15 others remained missing after travelling to Russia amid the ongoing conflict.
Ablakwa said Ghana had raised the issue with Russian authorities and was seeking measures to stop the alleged recruitment of Ghanaian youth into military operations.
The minister said some young Ghanaians had reportedly been attracted to Russia through employment opportunities before allegedly becoming involved in the war. He also said the Russian government had pledged to work with Ghana to address the issue.
Zelenskyy’s latest comments therefore come at a time when Ghana is engaging Russia over concerns about its nationals becoming involved in the conflict.
The Ukrainian leader also called on countries to limit economic activities that provide Russia with resources to continue the war.
The issue of foreign nationals participating in the conflict has become an international concern, with different governments seeking information about their citizens and, in some cases, efforts to secure their return.
For Ghana, the government has said it will continue diplomatic engagement with Russia and other relevant authorities to protect Ghanaian nationals from recruitment into the conflict.
Zelenskyy’s remarks at the UN have brought renewed international attention to the involvement of foreign nationals in the Russia-Ukraine war, with Ghana among the countries he specifically addressed.
Source: Thepressradio.com
