Ukraine war: ‘Just peace’ needed to end conflict, UN chief tells Putin

The UN Secretary-General has told Vladimir Putin that a “just peace” is needed to end the war in Ukraine.

Appearing alongside Mr Putin at the BRICS summit in the Russian city of Kazan, Antonio Guterres urged the Russian leader to reach a peace deal “in accordance with the UN Charter, international law and UN General Assembly resolutions”.

It comes after President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday that China and fellow BRICS member Brazil have peace plans for the war in Ukraine.

He told Mr Putin and other leaders at the three-day summit that they intended to rally further international support in the hope of ending the fighting there.

Mr Xi said: “We must uphold the three key principles: no expansion of battlefields, no escalation of hostilities and no fanning of flames, and strive for rapid de-escalation of the situation.”

The BRIC coalition was formed in 2009, bringing together Brazil, Russia, India and China. South Africa joined the following year, changing the name to BRICS.

It was initially largely ignored, but has since grown in both membership and influence with Russia’s war in Ukraine and Iran’s involvement in the wars in Gaza, Israel and Lebanon dominating global geopolitics.

Just weeks before Russia invades Ukraine in February 2022, Mr Putin and Mr Xi signed a “borderless” partnership between their two countries.

However, Beijing has largely remained silent on the war in Ukraine and has not tried to use its influence over Moscow to end it, as many had hoped. This week’s claims of a peace plan may revive those hopes.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi added that his country “supports dialogue and diplomacy, not war”.

Mr Guterres has not visited Russia in more than two years and the decision drew criticism from Ukrainian officials.

Ukraine’s foreign ministry wrote to X before the summit that the trip would “only harm the reputation of the UN.” “This is a wrong choice that does not advance the cause of peace,” it added.

Farhan Haq, Mr Guterres’ deputy spokesman, responded by saying it was “standard practice to attend meetings of organizations with a large number of important member states, such as the G7 and G20” – pointing out that the BRICS countries represent “half of the world’s population”.

Notably, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who hopes to enter the European Union, was also there.

Appearing alongside BRICS members on Thursday, Mr Guterres also called for peace in the conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon and Sudan.

As for the Middle East, Mr. Xi called for a complete ceasefire in Gaza.

The alternative payment system would counter the sanctions

In a joint statement ending the three days, BRICS members expressed concern about “the destructive effect of illegal unilateral coercive measures, including illegal sanctions.”

Putin’s priority for the meeting was to discuss an alternative global payment system that could be used between members – after Russia was cut off from SWIFT at the outbreak of its invasion.

As such, the attendees’ statement spoke of “faster, cheaper, more efficient, transparent, secure and inclusive cross-border payment instruments built on the principle of minimizing trade barriers and non-discriminatory access”.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Mr. Putin also met with the President of Iran, Massoud Pezeshkian.

He reiterated the “truly friendly” ties between Russia and Iran, which he hoped would be cemented by a “comprehensive strategic partnership agreement” to be signed by the two during Mr Pezeshkian’s planned visit to Moscow.

The date for that visit has not been set, Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuriy Ushakov said.

Commenting on the crisis in the Middle East, Mr. Pezeshkian added: “The flames of war continue to rage in the Gaza Strip and
Lebanon’s cities and international institutions, especially the UN Security Council as an engine of international peace and security, lack the necessary effectiveness to extinguish the fire of this crisis.”