The President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, has congratulated President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the people of Ghana on the occasion of the country’s 66th Independence Day celebration.

In a letter addressed to Ghana’s President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Putin wished him (Akufo-Addo) good health and success and Ghanaians peace.

The Russian President also said that he hopes that the relationship between Ghana and Russia will continue to grow.

“Please accept my sincere congratulations on the occasion of the National Holiday of the Republic of Ghana - the Independence Day!

“I am confident that the traditionally friendly relations between Russia and Ghana will continue to develop for the sake of our peoples, contributing to a stronger security and stability on the African continent.

“I wish you good health and every success, and all the citizens – peace and wellbeing,” Putin said in his letter.

Meanwhile, Ghana voted in favour of a United Nations General Assembly resolution demanding that Russia leaves Ukraine, where it has in the last year waged a war against Kyiv’s plan at the time to join the Euro-military bloc, NATO.

Ghana was one of 141 nations that voted 'IN FAVOUR' of the resolution with 7 countries voting 'AGAINST' and 32 'ABSTENTION.'

A UN statement after the vote read: "The results were 141 member states in favour and seven against - Belarus, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Eritrea, Mali, Nicaragua, Russia and Syria. Among the 32 abstentions were China, India and Pakistan.

Akufo-Addo has also stated that Ghana was against Russia's occupation of Ukraine and the use of African countries as training grounds for foreign powers, particularly Russia.

"Apart from not accepting the idea of great powers once again making Africa their theatre of operation, we have a particular position that you know about over the Ukraine war, where we have been very, very vocal and up front about condemning the invasion of Ukraine by Russia," he said at a meeting in Washington with officials of the US government, including Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, on Thursday, December 15, 2022.

Read Putin’s letter to Akufo-Addo below:

Сongratulatory message of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on the occasion of the 66th anniversary of the Independence Day of the Republic of Ghana! ???????????????? pic.twitter.com/IvM1Bt6DKG

— Russian Embassy in Ghana (@RusEmbGhanaEng) March 6, 2023