UN Secretary-General António Guterres is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kazan, Russia, marking his first visit to the country since April 2022. The meeting, scheduled for Thursday, comes amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and has drawn sharp criticism from Ukraine, which sees it as a betrayal of their cause. Despite international scrutiny, the UN has yet to confirm the meeting, leaving the diplomatic implications of this encounter shrouded in uncertainty.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has accused UN Secretary-General António Guterres of promoting an ‘anti-Israel and anti-Jewish agenda’ after Guterres did not welcome the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Katz also declared Guterres ‘persona non grata’ and banned him from entering Israel, citing Guterres’ failure to condemn Iran’s missile attack on Israel. This incident highlights the growing tension between Israel and the UN over the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
