Ruto calls for dialogue to end war in Ukraine
By Nancy Marende, August 26, 2025President William Ruto has reiterated Kenya’s call for dialogue as the only viable path to ending the ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
In a statement on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, Ruto emphasised Kenya’s firm position on upholding the principles of the United Nations Charter.
He spoke after bidding farewell to Ukraine’s Ambassador to Kenya, Andril Pravednyk, at the conclusion of his tour of duty at State House in Nairobi.
“Our position on the war has been clear: we strongly believe in the UN Charter, and especially in national sovereignty and territorial integrity. In addition, it is our firm view that dialogue, not war, is the path to peace and an end to hostilities,” Ruto said.
The President acknowledged the longstanding diplomatic relations between Kenya and Ukraine, which span more than three decades, underscoring strong cooperation in areas such as trade in grains, particularly wheat and maize, as well as fertiliser imports from Ukraine. In return, Kenya exports tea, coffee, flowers, and cabbage to the Eastern European nation.
Further, the Head of State noted that the war has disrupted global supply chains, including grains, fuel, and fertilisers, whose impact has been felt in Kenya and across the world.
During the meeting, Ambassador Pravednyk delivered a goodwill message from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to President Ruto.
“Bid farewell to the Ukrainian Ambassador to Kenya, Andril Pravednyk, State House, Nairobi, after his tour of duty. The ambassador brought a goodwill message from President Volodymyr Zelensky,” read the statement.
This comes a few months after President Ruto affirmed Kenya’s commitment to strengthening relations with Ukraine, with a focus on education, trade, and food security.
In a meeting with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in Seville, Spain, on June 30, 2025, President Ruto said Kenya welcomes deeper collaboration with Ukraine to expand learning opportunities, especially for students.
He added that the two countries are keen to tackle food security challenges together and explore how Ukraine can use Kenya’s strategic location to distribute key commodities across the region.
“This partnership provides a valuable platform to expand cooperation in information and communication technology (ICT), as well as trade, for shared growth and development,” the President said.
The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, where they also agreed to promote regional and global stability through peacekeeping, mediation, and multilateral diplomacy.
“We agreed on a range of engagements, including support for climate financing, promotion of green investments and the convening of an investor conference in Nairobi later in the year,” Ruto said.