Russia and Ghana have held high-level talks in Moscow focused on expanding trade, deepening political cooperation and addressing the fate of Ghanaian citizens believed to be caught up in the war in Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hosted Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa for discussions that both sides described as wide-ranging. The talks examined bilateral trade and investment, with Ablakwa noting that Ghana’s economic relationship with Russia is growing and gradually moving beyond traditional commodity exports such as cocoa and minerals into new sectors, including energy, agriculture and education.
The ministers also reviewed security and political developments across Africa, where Russia has been seeking to expand its influence through military cooperation, arms sales and diplomatic outreach. Ghana, seen as one of West Africa’s more stable democracies, has been trying to balance new partnerships with Moscow while maintaining long-standing ties with Western allies.
At a joint news conference, Lavrov said Russia’s Defence Ministry was processing formal requests from Ghana regarding nationals reported missing in the context of the Ukraine conflict. He referred to them as foreign mercenaries and said similar inquiries had been received from several other countries. According to Lavrov, a special department within the Defence Ministry is responsible for verifying identities, battlefield locations and detention records before responding through diplomatic channels.
Ghanaian officials have previously expressed concern that some of their citizens may have been recruited, coerced or lured by promises of work or legal residency into serving with Russian forces or affiliated units in Ukraine. Human rights groups have warned that migrants and students from African countries are particularly vulnerable to such recruitment, often finding themselves on the front lines with limited training and no clear path to return home.
While the Ghanaian delegation emphasized trade and development, the issue of missing citizens underscored the human cost of the war and the diplomatic pressure on Accra to account for its nationals abroad. Ablakwa indicated that Ghana would continue to seek clarity from Moscow on the status of any detained or deceased citizens and to work with families awaiting news.
Beyond Africa, Lavrov used the appearance to criticize Japan over its objections to President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the Russian-controlled Kuril Islands, reviving a long-standing territorial dispute that has blocked a formal peace treaty between Moscow and Tokyo since World War Two.
