Zelensky blocks visit from UN director to Ukraine

(MENAFN) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has blocked a visit from United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres following Guterres's attendance at the recent BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, as reported by AFP. The summit brought together global leaders and was deemed significant for the UN, given that BRICS nations represent nearly half of the world's population. Guterres's spokesperson noted that attending such meetings is standard for the UN chief, similar to engagements with other influential groups like the G7 and G20.

Sources within the Ukrainian presidency expressed anger over Guterres's trip to Russia, viewing it as an affront to Ukraine. An unnamed official indicated that Guterres had intended to visit Ukraine after the summit, but Zelensky did not confirm the visit. "So Guterres won’t be here, specifically because of the humiliation of sanity and international law in Kazan," the source remarked.

During his visit to Russia, Guterres held several bilateral discussions with various leaders attending the summit. Notably, he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the final day, where they reportedly addressed the ongoing crises in Ukraine and the Middle East, along with global development issues and the international financial system.

Earlier, Guterres spoke at a BRICS Plus/Outreach panel hosted by Putin, advocating for a "just peace" in Ukraine and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon. The decision by Zelensky to deny Guterres's visit underscores the tensions between Ukraine and the UN's engagement with Russia, reflecting broader geopolitical divides amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

MENAFN28102024000045015687ID1108824030