Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on Ghana and 46 other countries to protect their citizens from being recruited by Russia to fight in its war against Ukraine. Speaking at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, Zelenskyy named Ghana among the countries whose nationals Russia is using in the conflict.
Zelenskyy said Russia was drawing on people from 47 countries, including Nepal, Tajikistan, India, Yemen, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Cuba, Belarus, Sudan, and South Africa. Some of these foreign nationals ended up in Russia through what he described as “deception and tricks,” while others have been sent directly to the battlefield.
“I want to speak directly to every representative of these 47 countries: You know what Russia is doing with your people, your citizens. Take care of them. And do not let them end up on another front,” Zelenskyy said. He urged these countries not to allow Russia to “put out its fires, cover up its shame, and pay for its madness with the lives of your people.” He called on them to limit Russia’s ability to act, its money, and its war.
Zelenskyy did not specify how many Ghanaians were involved or the circumstances of their recruitment.
The president’s remarks come as Ghana faces growing concern over the involvement of its citizens in the war. In August, Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said 62 Ghanaians have been killed, and 15 remain missing in relation to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
During an official visit to Russia, Ablakwa held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. At a press conference in Moscow, Ablakwa said Ghana was particularly worried about young Ghanaians who are lured to Russia under various circumstances and then enlisted to fight in the war. He said the Russian authorities had promised to work with Ghana to prevent the illegal recruitment of Ghanaian nationals.
“This is not our war, and it should not be claiming Ghanaian lives,” Ablakwa said. He added that the government is intensifying diplomatic efforts to stop recruitment networks operating in Russia and to protect Ghanaian youth.
The UN General Assembly’s 81st session runs from September 22 to 28, 2026. Zelenskyy’s address came during the General Debate, where world leaders discuss pressing global issues.
The involvement of foreign nationals in the Russia-Ukraine war has raised wider international concerns. Zelenskyy said Ukraine had also received requests from some countries asking for the return of prisoners of war.
Ghana’s government remains focused on diplomatic and advocacy efforts to disrupt recruitment networks and shield its citizens from the conflict. Ablakwa emphasized the government’s commitment to protecting Ghanaians from schemes that could expose them to war dangers.
Zelenskyy’s direct appeal to these countries highlights the ongoing risks faced by foreign nationals caught in the conflict, and the challenges governments face in safeguarding their people from recruitment and combat in a war far from home.
According to Joy Online.
