Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to hold a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov announced on October 21.
The October 22-24 summit, which brings together leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and several other countries, is seen by Moscow as an opportunity to demonstrate that efforts by the West to isolate Russia over its military offensive in Ukraine have failed.
SEE ALSO: Why The BRICS Summit In Russia Could Be The Most Important One YetDespite the Putin-Guterres meeting, scheduled to take place on October 24, there is no indication that either Kyiv or Moscow is ready for broader peace talks to end the conflict.
Guterres has consistently criticized Russia's actions, stating that Moscow’s ongoing military operation in Ukraine sets a “dangerous precedent” for the world. The UN chief has repeatedly called for a "just peace" that respects international law and Ukraine’s "territorial integrity."
Ukraine Invasion: News & Analysis
RFE/RL's Ukraine Live Briefing gives you the latest developments on Russia's invasion, Western military aid, the plight of civilians, and territorial control maps. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.
During a meeting with Putin in April 2022, just two months after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, Guterres reiterated the UN’s stance and discussed proposals for humanitarian assistance and the evacuation of civilians from conflict zones.
Putin has maintained that Ukraine must cede more territory in its south and east as a precondition for any cease-fire, a demand that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has categorically rejected.
Zelenskiy, addressing the UN Security Council last month, argued that Moscow could only be forced into peace through international pressure.
Alongside the meeting with Guterres, Ushakov confirmed that Putin plans to hold bilateral discussions with several key leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian, and Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas.
These meetings underscore Russia’s efforts to maintain and strengthen ties with influential countries and leaders outside the Western sphere, using the BRICS summit as a strategic platform to push back against diplomatic isolation.