Kenya and Russia have agreed to facilitate the safe return of Kenyan citizens linked to Russia’s military operations while also addressing compensation for those injured and families of those who lost their lives.
The agreement emerged from high level talks in Moscow led by Musalia Mudavadi and Russia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Speaking after the bilateral consultations on March 16, 2026, Mudavadi confirmed that the fate of Kenyans believed to have been recruited into Russia’s military activities featured prominently in the discussions.
The Kenyan delegation raised concerns about reports that some citizens had joined military operations connected to the ongoing conflict involving Russia and Ukraine.
Mudavadi said Kenya made it clear that recruitment of its citizens into foreign armed forces is not permitted under Kenyan law.
He explained that Nairobi formally requested Russia to halt any recruitment efforts targeting Kenyans.
He further appealed for the disengagement of Kenyans who are currently serving in the military operations and called for arrangements that would allow them to return home safely.
According to Mudavadi, the request also covered those who have been injured as well as the repatriation of the remains of those who died.
Beyond the military issue, the two governments also used the meeting to review broader areas of cooperation between Kenya and Russia.
Discussions focused on expanding collaboration in sectors such as education, labour mobility, healthcare, infrastructure and energy.
Kenya acknowledged support from Russia in several areas, including scholarship opportunities for Kenyan students and fertiliser assistance that has helped support agricultural production.
Mudavadi said Kenya also pushed for stronger trade ties, urging measures that would allow Kenyan exports to access the Russian market more easily.
Products highlighted during the talks included tea, coffee, flowers, avocado and other horticultural produce.
A review of trade figures showed that total trade between the two countries stood at about USD 638 million in 2024.
Despite this, Kenya’s export share to Russia remains relatively small and concentrated in a limited number of products.
Coffee, tea and spices made up more than 75 percent of Kenya’s exports to Russia in 2024, reflecting a pattern that has remained largely unchanged over the past decade.
Mudavadi noted that Russia imports over USD 1.5 billion worth of coffee and tea annually, yet Kenya’s share of that market stood at only about USD 46 million in 2024.
Both sides agreed that there is significant room to expand trade by improving marketing strategies and simplifying trade procedures to support Kenya’s efforts to diversify its exports.
The meeting also reviewed plans to establish an Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation, a mechanism that Mudavadi said will provide a structured platform for advancing economic and trade relations between the two countries.
