Ukrainian President Rejects UN Chief’s Visit Amid Controversial Trip to Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has decided to decline a visit from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres following his recent trip to Russia, as reported by the AFP news agency on Friday. A source from Zelenskyy’s office indicated that the Ukrainian leader was displeased with Guterres’ acceptance of an invitation to visit Kazan, where he attended the BRICS summit, while previously refusing to participate in Zelenskyy’s Peace Formula summit.
Despite this controversy, Guterres’ press service announced that during his meeting with Vladimir Putin at the BRICS summit, the UN chief reaffirmed his stance that the Russian invasion of Ukraine constitutes a clear violation of the United Nations Charter and international law.
In response to Guterres’ actions, Zelenskyy criticized the UN chief’s choice of the Kazan trip, though he did not directly mention him by name. In his evening address on Thursday, the Ukrainian president stated, “Even though some of its officials may choose the temptations of Kazan over the substance of the UN Charter, the world remains structured in such a way that the rights of nations and the norms of international law will always matter.” He expressed gratitude to all those who continue to support Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict.
Last month, during his remarks at the UN Security Council, Zelenskyy emphasized that Russia must be “forced” into a peace agreement that aligns with the principles of the UN Charter. He characterized Russia’s actions in the war as “insane” and mentioned that Ukrainian intelligence has gathered information suggesting that the Kremlin is planning to target three nuclear power plants within Ukraine.
“From the very first seconds of this war, Russia has engaged in actions that are indefensible under the UN Charter,” Zelenskyy noted, highlighting the tragic consequences of the conflict, including the “killing of children” in Ukraine. He insisted that this war cannot simply be resolved through dialogue, stating, “Action is needed.” He also called upon the BRICS nations to actively participate in the efforts towards achieving peace.
Related:
- Putin praises BRICS as a counterweight to Western ‘perverse methods’
- Ukraine must be allowed into NATO, Lithuanian defense minister tells Euronews
