Kenya and Ukraine are strengthening diplomatic and trade relations despite the disruptions caused by Russia’s invasion, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Kenya Andrii Pravednyk has said.

Speaking on Tuesday during an interview with Radio Generation, Pravednyk noted that the two countries have maintained strong ties since establishing relations in 1993, with agriculture, education, and trade remaining key areas of cooperation.

“We have had our embassy here in your beautiful country for more than 20 years. We have good relations in different spheres, but agriculture is one of the main ones,” he said.

Before the war, Ukraine was a major supplier of wheat and maize to Kenya. Pravednyk explained that while exports briefly halted after the February 2022 invasion, they later resumed through alternative logistical routes. In March 2023, Ukraine delivered 25,000 tons of wheat to Kenya under President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Grain from Ukraine program.

Trade, however, has not fully recovered. “In 2021, the trade turnover between Ukraine and Kenya amounted to $221 million, which was a record high. Now, for 2024, bilateral trade stands at $145 million, still $70 million less than before the invasion,” he said.

Education also remains a key pillar of cooperation. Hundreds of Kenyan students were studying in Ukraine before the war, though many were forced to leave. “Some of them returned to relatively safe areas and continue their studies.

We hope that, when the security situation allows, more Kenyan students will come back, as well as new students,” Pravednyk said. Ukraine is currently negotiating a bilateral education agreement with Kenya and plans to offer full scholarships to a limited number of students.

President William Ruto reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to deepening ties with Ukraine during talks with former Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in Seville, Spain, in June 2025. The discussions emphasized cooperation in education, food security, trade, and ICT, with Kenya positioning itself as a regional hub for distributing essential commodities.

Pravednyk also praised Kenya’s diplomatic support in international forums, including its consistent backing of Ukraine at the United Nations and its participation in peace initiatives such as last year’s summit in Switzerland, where President Ruto chaired a panel on food security.

Beyond government support, the ambassador expressed gratitude to ordinary Kenyans who contributed to Ukraine’s humanitarian efforts through the United 24 program. “For us, it was not important whether it’s a donation of Sh20 or Sh10,000.

Many ordinary Kenyans donated whatever they could for the good cause of supporting Ukraine,” he said, noting that the funds were used for humanitarian relief, including medical assistance and housing support for displaced families.

Pravednyk said Ukraine remains committed to expanding cooperation with Kenya, even as the war continues to pose significant challenges.