EU calls for unified global pressure on Putin at BRICS summit to end Ukraine war
As the BRICS summit kicks off in Kazan on October 22, all participating leaders are encouraged to use this platform to urge Russian President Vladimir Putin to immediately end the war in Ukraine. This call to action was made on Wednesday, October 23, by Peter Stano, spokesperson for EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell.
Stano emphasized that the appeal particularly applies to UN Secretary-General António Guterres. According to him, Guterres should insist that Putin "withdraw Russian troops from Ukrainian territory unconditionally and without delay."
António Guterres arrived in Kazan for the BRICS summit on October 22, noted the press office of the Tatarstan Parliament. He was welcomed at the airport by Chairman of the State Council of Tatarstan Farid Mukhametshin and Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metshin.
This marks Guterres' first visit to Russia since April 2022. He is expected to deliver a speech at the BRICS summit, according to his spokesman, Farhan Haq, on October 22. Haq also stated that Guterres plans to meet Putin on October 24, the last day of the summit, to "reaffirm his well-known stance on the war in Ukraine and the conditions for a just peace based on the UN Charter."
"He will continue efforts to restore safe navigation in the Black Sea, which is crucial for global food and energy security, especially for the most vulnerable countries," Haq added.
Kiev has sharply criticized Guterres for attending the Kazan BRICS summit. "The UN Secretary-General declined Ukraine's invitation to the first Global Peace Summit in Switzerland but accepted Putin's invitation to Kazan. This is the wrong choice that doesn't help peace; it only tarnishes the UN's reputation," stated Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry on October 21, via social media platform X.
Peter Stano highlighted on October 22 that the EU believes Putin is leveraging the Kazan BRICS summit to advance his political agenda, aiming to project that Russia is not in diplomatic isolation despite Western sanctions over Russia's war against Ukraine. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin is an "internationally wanted war criminal," said Borrell's representative.
In his statement, Peter Stano also subtly criticized Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for participating in the BRICS summit. "The EU expects candidate countries to harmonize their foreign policies with the European stance," he pointed out.