Ukrainian-American TV host and political commentator Peter Zalmayev during a meeting with journalists in Nairobi/HANDOUTUkrainian-American TV host and political commentator Peter Zalmayev has arrived in Kenya as part of a global public diplomacy mission aimed at urging an end to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Speaking to journalists in Nairobi on Wednesday, Zalmayev said the war — now in its third year — has caused global fatigue and continues to have a far-reaching impact beyond Europe, including across African nations.
“Everyone is fed up with the war. There is fatigue, and many people across Africa are feeling the effects of the conflict,” he said.
Zalmayev’s campaign has already taken him across 40 countries in 400 days, starting in the South Pacific.
He has since travelled through Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, and 15 other African countries.
In each country, he engages with journalists, university students, and in some cases, government officials, aiming to build people-to-people links and keep Ukraine’s story alive beyond the headlines.
“I am not a policymaker,” Zalmayev clarified. “But I am seeking to establish contacts and keep the people I meet in touch with Ukraine.”
While in Nairobi, he emphasised Ukraine’s determination to
defend its sovereignty.
“Ukraine must win its sovereignty,” he said. “But the way things are going now is not in Ukraine’s favour.”
His visit to Kenya coincides with a high-level meeting in Washington D.C., where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders met with U.S. President Donald Trump to explore pathways toward ending the war.
Trump reportedly pledged that the United States would support Europe in protecting Ukraine as part of a broader peace deal.
Despite the diplomatic overtures from world powers, Zalmayev believes grassroots international solidarity — especially from Africa — is crucial.
“There is more than sympathy for Ukraine,” he said. “Most of the ordinary Africans I’ve met really want to see Russia out of Ukraine.”
Notably, Zalmayev is funding the entire mission himself, relying on personal savings.
“I don’t receive a penny from Ukraine,” he revealed.
After Kenya, he plans to continue his journey to Madagascar, Mauritius, Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Libya, with roughly 200 days left in his campaign.
His mission underlines growing recognition of Africa's
geopolitical importance and the continent’s evolving role in shaping global
opinion on international conflicts.
