UN chief calls for meeting with Putin and Zelensky

The Secretary General of the United Nations, the Portuguese António Guterres, sent letters to the leader of Russia, Vladimir Putin, and the president of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenski, asking them for a meeting in Moscow and Kiev, respectively, reported on Wednesday (20.04.2022) the spokesman of the head of the UN, the Frenchman Stéphane Dujarric.
In those letters, Guterres reminds them that both Russia and Ukraine are founding members of the UN and “have always given solid support to the organization,” but now we are “in times of great danger.” The Portuguese politician tells them that he would like to discuss with them “urgent steps to bring peace to Ukraine”, but also “the future of multilateralism based on the Charter of the United Nations and international law”.
The role of the UN has been called into question in this war not only by its inability to curb the conflict or its failure to mediate between the parties, but also by the fact that Russia occupies a permanent seat on the Security Council, the only UN body with any executive power. but which is paralyzed by Russia’s right of veto.
Russia didn’t even respond
With these letters, delivered to the Russian and Ukrainian diplomatic missions of the UN, Guterres tries to take the initiative and relaunch dialogue to find a peaceful solution to the war. So far, the Portuguese has had few contacts with the Ukrainian president, with whom he spoke by phone on February 26. Putin has refused to talk to Guterres since he said Russia violates the U.N. Charter by invading Ukraine.
On Tuesday, António Guterres had denounced the new Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine and called on the parties to cease fighting during a four-day “humanitarian pause” during Orthodox Easter, but only Ukraine supported his proposal to help evacuate civilians from the areas hardest hit by the war.
On the contrary, Russia has only intensified its offensive on the fronts of Donetsk, Luhansk and the besieged city of Mariupol, without even commenting on the proposal of the UN Secretary-General.

Original source in Spanish