The dissociative chemisorption of N-2 on Ru(0001), Ru<(10(1)over bar0)>, and Ru<(11(2)over bar1)> surfaces at 300 K was studied by means of high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy and thermal desorption spectroscopy. The initial sticking coefficient was determined to s(0)=(1+/-0.8)x10(-12), within the limits of error independent of surface orientation. On Ru<(10(1)over bar0)> and Ru<(11(2)over bar1)> small amounts of N can be dissolved into the subsurface region.