Ruto, Putin agree on return of Kenyans recruited into Russian military
President William Ruto has announced an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the recruitment of Kenyans into the Russian military, following bilateral talks at the Kremlin in Moscow. Ruto said Putin had confirmed that Kenya would no longer be considered a source country for recruitment into the Russian military, a move expected to [...] The post Ruto, Putin agree on return of…
President William Ruto and Russian President Vladimir Putin have reached an agreement to cease the recruitment of Kenyans into the Russian military, according to a statement made by Ruto following their meeting in Moscow. The two leaders discussed a range of issues during their bilateral talks, including educational cooperation between the two nations.
Russia has agreed to increase the number of scholarships available to Kenyan students, raising them from 70 to 300 across various disciplines, including medicine, technology, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.
The leaders also committed to supporting the expansion of the United Nations Office in Nairobi, known as UNON, which holds the only UN headquarters in a developing country. Furthermore, the two nations are set to negotiate a bilateral labor agreement to provide a framework for Kenyan workers seeking opportunities in Russia.
In an effort to strengthen diplomatic relations, Ruto extended an invitation for Putin to visit Kenya. This comes in the wake of the Russia-Africa Summit, during which both countries signed five cooperation instruments aimed at expanding bilateral ties. These instruments include the establishment of an Intergovernmental Russia-Kenya Commission on Economic Cooperation, as well as cooperation in labor inspection and employment promotion.
The agreements also cover collaboration between the transport ministries of both countries, visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic and service passports, and diplomatic training cooperation. The talks are particularly significant given the concerns over Kenyans being recruited into the Russian military, as some reportedly traveled to Russia under the impression they were taking civilian jobs before being involuntarily drafted into military service.
The commitments made by Ruto and Putin are expected to address the fate of Kenyans already affected by the recruitment process, while also opening up new areas of cooperation between Nairobi and Moscow.
Written by urgent.news from KahawaTungu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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