Ukrainian Leader Zelenskyy Declines Guterres' Visit Due to Previous Russia Sojourn
It's claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declined a visit by United Nations Chief Antonio Guterres to Kyiv, after the latter participated in a summit in Russia. According to reports from presidential sources, after attending the BRICS gathering in Kazan, Russia, Guterres sought to visit Ukraine, but Zelensky didn't consent. The reason provided was the "insult to reason and international law" that occurred in Kazan.
Guterres had attended the BRICS summit held in central Russia's Kazan this week, where he interacted with Russian President Vladimir Putin. As per a UN representative, Guterres emphasized that Russia's actions against Ukraine contravened international law and the UN Charter. He also advocated for a "fair peace" in Ukraine during his remarks in Kazan.
The BRICS summit, which saw Putin extending invitations to numerous heads of state and government from various corners of the globe, including China's President Xi Jinping, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was the largest diplomatic event on Russian soil since February 2022.
Guterres' presence at the summit sparked controversy. Prior to the event, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry had criticized his absence from a peace summit organized by Kyiv in Switzerland in June. "This is an incorrect decision that fails to promote peace. Instead, it tarnishes the UN's reputation," it stated in a release.**
Guterres' decision to attend the BRICS summit in Kazan, despite criticisms from Ukraine, was seen as a reason for Ukrainian President Zelensky's reluctance to meet him in Kyiv, as Zelensky perceived it as an insult to reason and international law.
The UN Chief's participation in the BRICS summit, where he interacted with Russian President Vladimir Putin and spoke against Russia's actions against Ukraine, may have further strained relations between Ukraine and the UN, as Kyiv had previously criticized Guterres for absencing himself from a peace summit organized by Ukraine.
