Wednesday06 November 2024
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UN Secretary-General in Kazan, Russia. How the global media is covering the handshake between Guterres and Putin.

The UN Secretary-General, who declined an invitation from Vladimir Zelensky to attend the World Summit in Switzerland last summer, made an unexpected visit to Kazan. The handshake and warm embrace between António Guterres and the dictators Putin and Lukashenko sparked mixed reactions globally.
Генсек ООН в Казани: как мировые СМИ комментируют рукопожатие Гутерреша и Путина.
Генеральный секретарь ООН Антониу Гутерреш и лидер россии владимир путин

Shame on António Guterres

On Thursday, October 24, the three-day BRICS summit concluded in Kazan, attended by leaders or representatives from 36 countries worldwide. This large turnout highlighted the West's inability to isolate Russia due to its war against Ukraine, notes the American news agency Associated Press.

The Kremlin promoted the summit as "the largest foreign policy event ever hosted by Russia." In addition to state leaders, UN Secretary-General António Guterres also visited Kazan. The UN chief did not shy away from shaking hands with Putin, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Guterres's trip to Russia sparked outrage in Kyiv, but was largely ignored by Ukraine's Western partners, reports Associated Press.

During the summit, the UN Secretary-General called for a "just peace" in Ukraine in line with the UN Charter, international law, and UN General Assembly resolutions. He also urged an immediate cessation of hostilities in Gaza, Lebanon, and Sudan.

Guterres's peace rhetoric made little impression on Putin. Meanwhile, the Russian leader accused the West of attempting to halt the growing strength of the Global South through "illegal unilateral sanctions, blatant protectionism, and manipulations in currency and stock markets," notes Associated Press.

By appearing in Kazan, António Guterres merely played into Vladimir Putin's hands, observed the British channel Sky News.

"Mr. Guterres seemed pleased to visit Kazan, despite Ukraine's anger. He looked happy as he paused before cameras to take a big bite of chak-chak — a sticky and very sweet delicacy from Tatarstan."

"Other officials were offered the same treat when they appeared, but no one seemed to enjoy the dish as much as the UN Secretary-General. He nodded while chewing, showing his appreciation," notes Sky News.

The UN Secretary-General's participation in the BRICS summit marked his first visit to Russia in two years. This move shocked Kyiv and surprised its allies in the West, summarized Sky News.

The French channel France 24 noted António Guterres's stubbornness in his attempts to persuade Vladimir Putin to cease fire in Ukraine. While Guterres's visit to Kazan demonstrated the UN's willingness to act as a mediator in peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, this step "makes no sense against the backdrop of Putin's reluctance to end the war."

The head of Russia used the UN chief's visit for propaganda purposes. He claimed that Moscow's opponents would not be able to defeat Russia militarily, and that any peace negotiations must consider the Kremlin's ultimatum demands to Ukraine, notes France 24.

Генеральный секретарь ООН Антониу Гутерреш в Казани

China Promotes Its Peace Plan

The call to end the war was not only made by the UN Secretary-General. Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized the role of BRICS in ensuring global security.

Xi noted that China and Brazil proposed a peace plan for Ukraine, which did not receive support in Kyiv. The Chinese leader urged summit participants to join China's efforts, notes the British newspaper Guardian.

"We must promote a swift de-escalation of the situation in Ukraine and pave the way for a political settlement," said Xi Jinping.

Joining the Chinese leader was Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who also stressed the need for a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine. The Russian leader responded to the BRICS leaders' calls to consider ending hostilities by stating that Russia is not opposed to peace talks. However, Vladimir Putin's declarations of Russia's desire to achieve peace in Ukraine quickly contradict the Kremlin's actions, writes Guardian.

While Putin promises to consider peace, North Korean troops are arriving in Russia to fight against Ukraine. As noted by Guardian, when asked by a journalist about satellite photos showing the movement of North Korean troops, Putin said: "Satellite images are serious business. If there are images, they indicate something."

The German state channel Deutsche Welle points out that despite Vladimir Putin's attempts to portray the BRICS summit as a meeting of like-minded individuals, Russia's desire to continue the war against Ukraine does not enthuse key players in the Global South. However, Russia does not face strong pressure from its BRICS partners, primarily interested in maintaining fruitful cooperation with Moscow.

At the same time, German journalists noted the complimentary tone with which Vladimir Putin speaks about the peace initiatives of US presidential candidate Donald Trump. At the press conference following the summit, Putin was asked about Trump's promise to end hostilities in Ukraine.

"I believe Trump's statements are sincere and that he genuinely wants to end the war. We certainly welcome such statements, regardless of who they come from," said Putin.

Last month, Trump suggested that he could help broker a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine using his friendly relations with Putin. At the same time, the former president expressed skepticism about the need for further US aid to Ukraine.