The water-gas shift reaction performance of Fe2O3, Ru/Fe2O3 catalysts and the same compounds doped with sodium ions was studied. An addition of sodium was found to result in an increase of the ruthenium catalyst activity and stabilization of its surface area during the reduction with the reaction mixture. This series of catalysts was examined by XPS method. The addition of sodium and ruthenium causes an increase in the ionicity of the Fe2O3 lattice, manifested as changes in intensity of peaks of the Fe 2p band.