The UN Secretary's visit to Russia at the BRICS summit from the beginning aroused a lot of emotions. Outrage at going to a country that attacked Ukraine was expressed, among others, by: Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kiev.
In the following hours, the reasons that began to heat up public opinion only increased. All thanks to photos and videos that appeared on the Internet. In one of the photos you can see Guterres, greeting with Vladimir Putin. There's a frown on the UN Secretary's face smileyou can also see that he is a diplomat leans slightly towards the Russian dictator.
BRICS Summit. The UN Secretary's visit caused outrage
The photo was shared by, among others: head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis, who focused on a short but blunt message. Reaching for a word game, he wrote “UeNd”, which can be read: “end of the UN“.
Political strategy author Radu Hossu did not mince his words either. “The man he bows to is Vladimir Putin, a war criminal for whom an international arrest warrant has been issued. A warrant issued by an institution established under the rule of the United Nations.”What a shame“- he assessed.
Stewart Patrick, a commentator from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, pointed out directly that coming, even with the hope that any conditions for concluding an agreement with Ukraine will be reached, is nothing more than legitimizing the rule of the Russian dictator.
“We are already in the third year of war, and the Secretary General of the United Nations shakes the murderer's hand“- wrote briefly the wife of the deceased Russian oppositionist Julia Nawalna.
Antonio Guterres in Russia. There's a storm on the internet
In addition to the scene with Putin, the attention of Internet users and the media was also drawn to Guterres' greeting with the Belarusian satrap. In a video circulating online, you can see the UN secretary approaching Alexander Lukashenkoa ten, smiling broadly, he embraces Guterres and hugs him, and then turns and, holding his arm, starts leading in one direction.
Janis Kluge, an economist and collaborator with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, said that Guterres was completely confused in this situation, which Lukashenko took full advantage of. “Can someone take the old man home?” – he asked ironically.
During his speech, Guterres called for “just peace” in Ukraine. He called on the Russian leader to agree on a peace agreement “in accordance with the United Nations Charter, international law and the resolutions of the UN General Assembly.”