Zelensky rejects Guterres' visit after UN Chief attends BRICS summit
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A UN spokesperson said it is standard practice for the secretary-general to attend summits of organizations with a significant number of member states, such as the G7 and G20.
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In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky talks with Ukrainian journalists in Kiev, Ukraine, Monday, October 21, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)
AFP reported on Friday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected a proposed visit by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres following his attendance at the BRICS Summit in Russia.
The decision is said to reflect Kiev's dissatisfaction with the UN's lack of neutrality, as Guterres met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kazan earlier this week, reportedly discussing the crises in Ukraine and the Middle East.
The BRICS Summit, a high-profile gathering of leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, brought together representatives of nearly half the world's population.
Guterres' spokesperson stressed the importance of the event, noting that it is standard practice for the secretary-general to attend summits of organizations with a significant number of member states, such as the G7 and G20.
According to a senior Ukrainian official, the UN chief’s Russia visit has angered Kiev. "After Kazan, [Guterres] wanted to come to Ukraine, but [Zelensky] did not confirm his visit," the unnamed source told AFP, citing Ukraine’s disappointment in what it viewed as a disregard for international law.
Read more: BRICS authority, influence in global affairs continually rising: Putin
Putin: Russia remains open to talks with Ukraine
This rejection follows a recent statement by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, criticizing Guterres for choosing to visit Russia over participating in a Swiss-hosted "peace conference" focused on Zelensky's ten-point peace plan for Ukraine.
The ministry condemned Guterres' decision as damaging to the UN’s reputation, describing it as "a wrong choice that does not advance the cause of peace."
During the BRICS Summit, Guterres addressed an expanded BRICS Plus/Outreach panel, where he called for a "just peace" in Ukraine and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon. Despite these appeals, tensions remain high between Moscow and Kiev.
Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated on Friday that Russia remains open to negotiations with Ukraine based on the March 2022 Istanbul framework but cautioned that Kiev's "unpredictable behavior" presents challenges to diplomatic efforts.
Read more: Zelensky rejects territorial concessions as West mulls settlement
'Israel' designates Guterres persona-non-grata
This is the second instance in which the chief has been barred from carrying out a diplomatic visit.
On October 2, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz announced that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been declared “persona non grata” in "Israel", effectively banning him from entering the occupation entity.
The Foreign Ministry claimed that this move was prompted by Guterres' response to a missile attack from Iran the previous night.
"Israel" said that Guterres failed to specifically name Iran and did not clearly condemn what it described as "grave aggression" in his statement. The Foreign Ministry further criticized Guterres for his policies during the ongoing war, accusing him of supporting "terrorists, rapists, and murderers" from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Ansar Allah and now backing "the mothership of global terror, Iran."
