Mr Mahama announced his intention while speaking at the Financial Times Africa Summit in London on Wednesday, October 21. He said he hoped to use the Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow to encourage an end to the fighting.

“Indeed, I’m going to Russia for the Russia-Africa Summit and try to convince President Putin to have a ceasefire if I can,” he said.

The President said Ghana’s non-aligned foreign policy and friendly relations with major global powers, including Russia, the United States, China and the European Union, provided an opportunity to engage different countries on matters of international concern.

His planned appeal comes as diplomatic efforts to end the war continue, with the conflict causing widespread destruction and loss of life since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

It remains unclear whether Mr Mahama has a confirmed bilateral meeting scheduled with President Putin or whether his proposed appeal will lead to formal peace negotiations.

Photo courtesy: H. E. John Dramani Mahama