Ruto, Polish President to discuss bilateral ties, Russia-Ukraine conflict

President William Ruto is hosting his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda, in Nairobi on Monday, for a State visit focused on the ties between their nations and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Announcing his visit from Poland's capital, Warsaw, on Sunday, Duda noted requests from his country's allies, especially Washington, to engage with the East African countries he is visiting regarding Russia’s “aggression” in Ukraine.

“Our allies, especially the USA, asked us, as a country without a colonial past, to talk to African countries about the situation in this part of Europe, and Russia’s aggressive actions and their consequences,” Duda told the press before leaving for Nairobi.

He said his objective during the tour is to promote Polish business interests and counter Russian “propaganda” on the continent.

“Our task is to raise awareness about the situation in our part of Europe and Russian aggression against Ukraine, and to explain where the food crisis in Africa came from, what the threats are, what actions are being taken, including on our part so that we can neutralise as much as possible the crisis caused by Russia,” he said.

He added; “We will inform counterparts of who violates international law and the international order established after World War II, who is the aggressor, who violates borders and who is responsible for the difficult situation in many places in the world caused by the energy or food crisis.”

State visit by H.E. Andrzej Duda, The President of Poland, accompanied by The First Lady, Agata Kornhauser-Duda, State House Nairobi https://t.co/yWzT1CIrBi

— Mama Rachel Ruto, EGH (@MamaRachelRuto) February 5, 2024

Strategic relations

Kenya’s strong support for Ukraine goes beyond verbal declarations, withNairobi’s voting policy at the UN reflecting the country’s support for resolutions that do not favour Russia.

The visit from a leader of a NATO member state speaks volumes of Kenya’s emergence as an influential voice on the global stage and its close ties with the West. Though there is nothing groundbreaking about this relationship, Kenya is opening doors to new partners from Central and Eastern Europe.

Duda’s visit follows those of Romanian leader Klaus Werner Iohannis and Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala last year.

Warsaw is developing closer ties with Nairobi, feeling at ease thanks to American influence in Kenya.

The US has played a crucial role in Kenya’s political and economic landscape, leading to speculation that Ruto’s camaraderie with his Western counterparts paints him as a Western puppet.

Poland is a stalwart ally in Central Europe and one of the United States’ strongest partners in fostering security and prosperity.

The crisis in Ukraine turned Poland into America’s ‘indispensable’ ally.

Business forum

A key highlight of Duda's visit will be the Poland-Kenya business forum, where he and President Ruto will address business representatives from both nations.

This forum aims to foster business and economic cooperation between Poland and Kenya, establishing a bridge for investment and trade.

To lay the groundwork for Duda’s visit, a delegation from the Kenyan National Chamber of Commerce took a journey to Poland last September to cultivate robust business relations with their counterparts.

Kalonzo Musyoka, then Kenya's foreign minister visited Poland in 1995 while the Polish minister visited Nairobi in 1993.

Notably, Kenya does not maintain a diplomatic mission in Warsaw but Poland has an embassy in Nairobi.