Zelensky snubs Guterres after controversial Putin meeting

According to the Ukrainian administration, Guterres's visit to Kazan was deemed "an affront to common sense and international law".

The spokesman for Guterres stressed that during the meeting with Putin, the UN Secretary-General reaffirmed that the Russian invasion of Ukraine breaches international law. However, a Ukrainian official cited by AFP expressed that the mere fact of Guterres’s visit to Kazan undermined the credibility of the UN.

The Ukrainian coalition of non-governmental organisations also criticised Guterres. In a statement released to the media, the activists highlighted that Putin is subject to an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court. They asserted that the UN leader's meeting with the Russian president undermines the credibility of the ICC's decision and investigations into the most severe crimes.

Lithuanian politicians also harshly criticized Guterres. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Gabrielius Landsbergis, stated that the UN chief must acknowledge his mistake and take responsibility for his decisions, both regarding his absence from the peace summit in Switzerland and his visit to Putin.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out that Guterres declined Ukraine’s invitation to the first Global Peace Summit in Switzerland. Instead, he accepted Russian President Putin's invitation to Kazan, which, according to the Ministry, harms the UN’s reputation.

The unexpected presence of the UN Secretary-General at the BRICS summit sparked controversy from the outset. The situation was further aggravated by photos and videos from the summit published by Kremlin and Belarusian news agencies. They show Guterres warmly greeting Vladimir Putin and exchanging embraces with Alexander Lukashenko.