UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Russia on Wednesday to attend this week’s BRICS summit, his first visit to the country in more than two years.
Russia is hosting the three-day summit in the Tatarstan capital of Kazan, where the speaker of the regional legislative assembly greeted Guterres after his plane landed at the city’s airport.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry slammed the visit, saying the UN chief made the “wrong choice that does not advance the cause of peace” after earlier rejecting an invitation to attend Kyiv’s peace summit in Switzerland.
The United Nations maintains that BRICS — a nine-member organization that includes China and India — holds “great importance” given the bloc represents almost half the world’s population.
Guterres is expected to deliver a speech at the BRICS summit, his deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters Tuesday.
He also plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, where he will “reaffirm his well-known positions on the war in Ukraine and the conditions for just peace based on the UN Charter.”
“He will continue to pursue his efforts to re-establish safe navigation in the Black Sea, which is critically important for global food and energy security, especially for the most vulnerable countries around the world,” Haq said.
Guterres will visit Ukraine at a “mutually convenient time,” he added.
BRICS takes its name from the first letters of the five original members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The group expanded earlier this year to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has designated The Moscow Times as an “undesirable” organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a “foreign agent.”
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work “discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership.” We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It’s quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you’re defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.
×
Remind me next month
Thank you! Your reminder is set.
