Ghana and Russia have agreed to ban Ghanaian citizens from participating in the conflict in Ukraine.

Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama has reached an agreement with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to ban Ghanaians from participating in combat operations in the conflict zone involving Ukraine. The state-run Daily Graphic reported the news, confirming that Moscow will no longer allow Ghanaian citizens to fight on the ground.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ghana's foreign minister, supported the move on his Facebook page, noting that the platform's owner, Meta, is designated as an extremist organization and banned in Russia. Ablakwa clarified that the restriction covers every scenario, whether it involves irregular recruitment or purely voluntary enlistment.

The two leaders met on October 30 during the sidelines of the Russia-Africa summit. Putin pointed out that trade volumes between Russia and Ghana rank among the highest for nations south of the Sahara. Mahama responded by expressing a desire to deepen ties not just politically, but economically as well.

This is not just any gathering. The Russia-Africa summit serves as the top-tier forum for strengthening political, economic, and military cooperation between Moscow and African states. The first edition took place in Sochi back in 2019, followed by the second in Saint Petersburg in 2023.

The current third summit ran from October 28 to 29 in Moscow. Its agenda was split into four distinct tracks: "Sovereignty as the basis for sustainable development," "Economy of a sovereign world order," "Socio-humanitarian cooperation and human capital," and "Technologies and innovations for improving quality of life."

According to the Kremlin's press service, delegations from roughly 50 African countries signed a total of 150 documents during these two days. Western observers had previously flagged Russia as gaining a new ally in the region, a claim this latest agreement seems to validate.