Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has blocked United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres from visiting Ukraine following his recent participation in the BRICS meeting in Russia.
The BRICS summit, which took place from October 22 to 24 in Kazan, featured leaders from various nations, including Guterres, and has been characterized by analysts and Western media as a demonstration of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s diplomatic authority and a signal of Western isolation.
According to reports from AFP citing unnamed sources within the Ukrainian presidential office, Guterres expressed interest in visiting Ukraine after the BRICS meeting, but Zelensky did not sanction the trip.
One source commented that Guterres’ absence from Ukraine was a result of actions violating international law, describing the decision as “reasonable.”
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had previously criticized Guterres for attending the BRICS meeting following his rejection of Ukraine’s request to join a peace conference in Switzerland.
The ministry voiced its displeasure over social media, stating, “The Secretary General of the United Nations rejected Ukraine’s invitation to the first peace conference in Switzerland but accepted Putin’s invitation to the BRICS meeting.” They deemed this a misguided choice that undermines peace efforts and tarnishes the UN’s reputation.
