Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier Nduhungirehe, received a delegation of Ukrainian lawmakers led by Oleksandr Merezhko, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Relations.
The delegation was in Kigali for a two-day visit and also included Zhan Beleniuk, a member of the Ukrainian Parliament’s friendship group with Rwanda.
Nduhungirehe said their discussions covered relations between the two countries, developments in their respective regions and cooperation through their parliaments.
“We discussed bilateral relations, the situation in our respective regions and parliamentary diplomacy,” he said.
Beleniuk, who was born to a Rwandan father, is a former Olympic champion in Greco-Roman wrestling. He also serves as First Deputy Chair of the Ukrainian Parliament’s Committee on Youth and Sports.
The Ukrainian lawmakers also met Rwanda’s Senate leadership to discuss cooperation between the two parliaments.
Their talks included a proposal to establish a parliamentary friendship group in Rwanda, providing legislators from both countries with a formal channel for dialogue and exchanges.
Ukraine established its parliamentary friendship group with Rwanda in February 2022. It comprises five lawmakers, including Beleniuk.
The visit followed the first political consultations between Rwanda and Ukraine in 2025, when the two governments discussed cooperation in trade, agriculture, information technology, health, education and regional security.
Rwanda and Ukraine established diplomatic relations in 1993. Ukraine has an embassy in Kigali, while Rwanda’s embassy in Germany is also accredited to Ukraine.
Elie GATETE
RADIOTV10