Mahama secures six key commitments from Putin during bilateral talks in Moscow
Story by: Regina Bless
President John Dramani Mahama has secured six key commitments from Russian President Vladimir Putin following a bilateral meeting held on October 30, 2026, on the sidelines of the Third Russia–Africa Summit in Moscow.
The outcomes of the meeting were announced by Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who described the engagements as successful and highlighted several areas of cooperation between the two countries.
One of the major commitments is Russia’s agreement to work with Ghana towards establishing a 2,000-megawatt nuclear power plant to strengthen the country’s energy security and support industrialisation. The initiative also revives Ghana’s longstanding nuclear energy ambition associated with the vision of the country’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
The second commitment focuses on defence cooperation, with Russia agreeing to support Ghana in acquiring strategic military assets to strengthen the capabilities of the Ghana Armed Forces.
In agriculture, the two countries have agreed to deepen collaboration aimed at boosting grain production and improving the supply of fertilisers to support Ghana’s agricultural development and food security.
The fourth commitment concerns education, with Russia agreeing to increase scholarship opportunities for Ghanaian students seeking to pursue higher education in Russian institutions. According to Mr Ablakwa, Ghana currently ranks second among African countries in terms of the number of students studying in Russia.
Another significant outcome involves the participation of Ghanaians in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. According to the Foreign Affairs Minister, President Mahama raised concerns about the recruitment of Ghanaians into the conflict, following which President Putin declared that Ghanaians would no longer be permitted to participate in the war, whether through irregular recruitment arrangements or voluntary enlistment.
The sixth commitment is the revival of the Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation (PJCC), which provides an institutional framework for strengthening diplomatic and bilateral relations between Ghana and Russia. Moscow has indicated its readiness to host the next meeting of the commission in the coming weeks.
The proposed nuclear power project is expected to require further discussions on financing, implementation arrangements and timelines before construction can proceed.
Ghana and Russia have maintained formal diplomatic relations since 1958, and the latest engagements are aimed at expanding cooperation in strategic sectors, including energy, defence, agriculture, education and security.