Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky snubs UN chief after his Russia trip

Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected a go to to Ukraine by UN Secretary Basic António Guterres over his journey to Russia, a supply within the presidential workplace has instructed the BBC.

After attending a Brics summit within the Russian metropolis of Kazan this week, Guterres had needed to go to Kyiv, the BBC understands.

“The president didn’t affirm his go to,” the supply instructed the BBC. “After Kazan and after he shook palms with the conflict’s instigator and spent UN Day on the territory of the aggressor nation, it will be one way or the other unusual to host him right here.”

Guterres’ go to to Russia – who launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 – was met with dismay throughout Ukraine.

Throughout his go to, Guterres known as for a “simply peace” in Ukraine and reiterated his place to Putin that Russia’s invasion of the nation was in “violation of the United Nations Constitution and worldwide regulation”, a UN spokesperson stated after the assembly.

In an announcement forward of Guterres’ go to to Kazan, the Ukrainian overseas ministry stated: “It is a incorrect selection that doesn’t advance the reason for peace. It solely damages the UN’s fame.”

“The UN secretary normal declined Ukraine’s invitation to the primary International Peace Summit in Switzerland. He did, nonetheless, settle for the invitation to Kazan from conflict legal Putin,” the assertion added.

Through the Brics summit in Kazan, Guterres issued an announcement that stated: “We’d like peace in Ukraine. A simply peace in step with the UN Constitution, worldwide regulation and Basic Meeting resolutions.”

Guterres’ workplace justified his participation within the summit, referring to Brics’ function “in boosting international co-operation”.

Arrange in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India and China, Brics was later joined by South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates.

Various analysts say that some Brics heavyweights, like Russia and China, have been in search of to problem the G7 group of the world’s seven largest economies.

The present G7 members are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US.