Guterres requests meetings with Russian and Ukrainian Presidents

In efforts to end the war in Ukraine, Secretary-General António Guterres has written separate letters to the leaders of Russia and Ukraine to request meetings with them in their respective capitals, the United Nations said on Wednesday. 

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Mr. Guterres has asked President Vladimir Putin to receive him in Moscow and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to receive him in Kyiv. 

The letters were handed over to the countries’ UN Missions in New York on Tuesday. 

“The Secretary-General said, at this time of great peril and consequence, he would like to discuss urgent steps to bring about peace in Ukraine and the future of multilateralism based on the Charter of the United Nations and international law,” said Mr. Dujarric. 

“He noted that both Ukraine and the Russian Federation are founding members of the United Nations and have always been strong supporters of this Organization.” 

The announcement came a day after the UN chief called for a humanitarian pause in Ukraine ahead of Orthodox Christian Easter this weekend. 

The Ukraine conflict has generated the largest and fastest displacement in recent years.  

Some 12 million people have been forced to flee their homes, with more than five million crossing the border into neighbouring countries and beyond. 

Many of those who have stayed do not have access to water or electricity, while another 12 million are affected by economic hardship and a decline in services. 

In eastern Ukraine, some 1.4 million people are without access to running water, including in the besieged port city of Mariupol.  Millions more have only limited access to water and electricity. 

Casualties continue to mount in the war in Ukraine, which began on 24 February. There were 5,121 civilian casualties in the country as of Tuesday,  including 2,224 deaths, according to the latest update from the UN human rights office, OHCHR.