In a joint statement, dozens of Ukrainian civil society organisations called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to "request any information" from Guterres after his meeting with the Russian president, noting that Putin is under an ICC arrest warrant for war crimes committed in Ukraine, the euromaidanpress.com news website reported.
Guterres travelled to Kazan, Russia this week to attend a summit of so-called BRICS countries, where he met with Putin and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, euromaidanpress.com reported.
BRICS is an intergovernmental organisation made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Guterres' visit drew sharp criticism in Ukraine and elsewhere, especially given his earlier decision to skip Ukraine's Peace Summit in Switzerland in June, according to euromaidanpress.com.
The Ukrainian NGOs said that Guterres’ visit undermined the UN's authority and international values, euromaidanpress.com reported on Friday.
"The Secretary-General’s visit to Russia and official meetings with Putin undermine the UN’s authority as an international moral compass, as well as its role as a reliable and neutral mediator in achieving sustainable peace based on justice and the rule of law," the statement said, as cited by the Ukrainian website.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky refused to host Guterres in Kyiv after the UN chief visited the BRICS summit, according to a report by the AFP news agency.
Russia invaded Ukraine by land, air and sea on February 24, 2022, starting the largest military conflict in Europe since World War II.
Friday is day 975 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
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Source: euromaidanpress.com