Guterres requests meetings with Russian and Ukrainian Presidents

SMA NEWS – NEW YORK
In efforts to end the war in Ukraine, Secretary-General António Guterres has written separate letters to the leaders of Russia and Ukraine to request meetings with them in their respective capitals, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Guterres has asked President Vladimir Putin to receive him in Moscow and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to receive him in Kiev.

The letters were handed over to the countries’ UN Missions in New York on Tuesday.

“The Secretary-General said, at this time of great peril and consequence, he would like to discuss urgent steps to bring about peace in Ukraine and the future of multilateralism based on the Charter of the United Nations and international law,” said Dujarric.

“He noted that both Ukraine and the Russian Federation are founding members of the United Nations and have always been strong supporters of this Organization.”

The announcement came a day after the UN chief called for a humanitarian pause in Ukraine ahead of Orthodox Christian Easter this weekend.