Conflicts

Volodymyr Zelensky no longer wants to see the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, in Kiev. The Ukrainian president didn't appreciate Guterres' visit to Vladimir Putin during the BRICS summit in Kazan.

It's a hard pill to swallow. Traveling the world as well as the UN to convince people of the need to help his country send Russian troops home, Volodymyr Zelensky seems to feel betrayed by the UN Secretary General. According to a source close to the Ukrainian president at AFP, he refuses to meet António Guterres. He didn't appreciate the General's visit to Russia, and the inevitable handshake with Vladimir Putin. Despite this opposition, Ukraine doesn't intend to definitively cut ties with the UN.

Working towards peace

The discussion between the Russian President and the UN Secretary-General in Kazan (Russia) took place behind closed doors on Thursday, October 24, 2024. It's difficult to know precisely what the content and the atmosphere around the table was. However, a press release mentions a recall of Guterres to Moscow, emphasizing that the operation in Ukraine constitutes "a violation of the Charter of the United Nations and international law". Guterres also reportedly asked Putin to guarantee freedom of navigation in the Black Sea. They also discussed the situation in Lebanon and Israel.

(MH with Olivier Duquesne – Sources: LCI via AFP & TRT – Picture: © ONU)