President William Ruto has revealed that he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over the phone to discuss matters of mutual interest between Kenya and Ukraine.

According to President Ruto, a significant part of the conversation focused on the welfare of young Kenyans who have reportedly been illegally recruited to participate in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

In a post on Facebook on Thursday, November 6, 2025, Ruto said he highlighted the dangers associated with such involvement and emphasised the importance of raising awareness to prevent further recruitment.

“I have had a fruitful phone conversation with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, and discussed various issues of mutual interest between our two peoples and countries. We expressed concern over young Kenyans who have been illegally recruited to fight in the war in Ukraine, and agreed to raise awareness of the dangers of such ventures,” the president wrote.

President Ruto also confirmed that he requested Ukrainian authorities to facilitate the release of any Kenyan nationals currently in custody in Ukraine, noting that his appeal was positively received.

“I have requested President Zelensky to facilitate the release of any Kenyan in Ukrainian custody. I am grateful to His Excellency for acceding to my appeal,” he added.

In addition to addressing concerns over Kenyan youth, President Ruto revealed that he commended President Zelensky for the upcoming Ukraine Food Summit, describing the initiative as significant for Ukraine and for global food security.

The conversation also covered broader areas of cooperation between the two countries, including trade, agriculture, and education, with both leaders emphasising the importance of strengthening diplomatic and economic ties.

“I also commended President Zelensky for the Ukraine Food Summit his country is set to host later this month,” Ruto wrote.

Russia-Ukraine conflict

The development comes just days after the government revealed that it had moved to secure the release and safe return of its citizens caught up in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

In a statement on Monday, October 27, 2025, the office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary confirmed that it has been engaging the Russian authorities to resolve the plight of Kenyans allegedly detained or stranded in various military camps across the Russian Federation.

“The Government has taken note of media reports of Kenyans caught up in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and takes this opportunity to update its citizens and the world on the actions being taken to resolve the situation,” the statement read in part.

According to the office, officials from Kenya and Russia held a high-level meeting last month to address the issue and explore ways to facilitate the safe passage of affected Kenyans to Kenya’s Mission in Moscow.

Further, it revealed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation acknowledged the complexity of the matter, noting that it involves individuals from multiple countries who were drawn into military operations through voluntary recruitment contracts.

 However, some of the recruitment has been linked to unscrupulous agents posing as Russian government representatives.

“The system has been made complicated by agents who masquerade as working with the Russian Government and use falsified information to lure innocent Kenyans into the battlefield,” the statement added.