Tiny EU Country Demands UN Chief Step Down
Lithuanian Prime Minister and leading diplomat have both expressed their disapproval of Antonio Guterres' participation in the BRICS summit held in Kazan, Russia. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Lithuania has condemned Antonio Guterres's choice to attend the Russia-hosted BRICS Summit while missing Ukraine’s recent "peace conference." Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis criticized Guterres's actions as a significant "mistake," implying that he has lost credibility and should contemplate resigning.
Guterres is attending the three-day event in Kazan, which features high-level delegations from 36 countries. His office highlighted that the gathering represents nearly half of the world’s population, making it "of great importance" for the organization's efforts.
The Ukrainian conference, hosted by Switzerland and centered on President Vladimir Zelensky’s "peace formula," occurred in June and excluded Russia. Although Guterres declined an invitation, the UN was represented "at the appropriate level."
Commenting on Guterres's presence at the BRICS summit, Landsbergis stated that the UN Secretary-General is “no longer accepted as an honest broker” in the context of resolving the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
He asserted that if Guterres chooses to resign, Lithuania would not dissuade him, emphasizing, “Guterres must admit he was wrong and take responsibility—for deciding not to attend the Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland and for going to see the wanted war criminal Putin and groveling with both him and his accomplice Lukashenko,” according to local media.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte also voiced her discontent, criticizing Guterres for engaging with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko during the summit. She described the situation as "pathetic," remarking that some individuals in international organizations mistakenly believe they can engage with everyone. Simonyte characterized Guterres’s "behavior [as] incomprehensible, to say the least."
During his first visit to Russia in over two years, Guterres underscored the significance of attending “the outreach session of the Summit of BRICS that represents nearly half of the world’s population.” In his address on the final day, he called on BRICS members to function as a "global family" working toward common objectives and advocated for a “just peace” in Ukraine, along with an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.
Throughout the conference, he conducted several bilateral meetings with heads of state and participated in a closed-door discussion with President Putin regarding the crises in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
Guterres is attending the three-day event in Kazan, which features high-level delegations from 36 countries. His office highlighted that the gathering represents nearly half of the world’s population, making it "of great importance" for the organization's efforts.
The Ukrainian conference, hosted by Switzerland and centered on President Vladimir Zelensky’s "peace formula," occurred in June and excluded Russia. Although Guterres declined an invitation, the UN was represented "at the appropriate level."
Commenting on Guterres's presence at the BRICS summit, Landsbergis stated that the UN Secretary-General is “no longer accepted as an honest broker” in the context of resolving the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
He asserted that if Guterres chooses to resign, Lithuania would not dissuade him, emphasizing, “Guterres must admit he was wrong and take responsibility—for deciding not to attend the Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland and for going to see the wanted war criminal Putin and groveling with both him and his accomplice Lukashenko,” according to local media.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte also voiced her discontent, criticizing Guterres for engaging with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko during the summit. She described the situation as "pathetic," remarking that some individuals in international organizations mistakenly believe they can engage with everyone. Simonyte characterized Guterres’s "behavior [as] incomprehensible, to say the least."
During his first visit to Russia in over two years, Guterres underscored the significance of attending “the outreach session of the Summit of BRICS that represents nearly half of the world’s population.” In his address on the final day, he called on BRICS members to function as a "global family" working toward common objectives and advocated for a “just peace” in Ukraine, along with an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.
Throughout the conference, he conducted several bilateral meetings with heads of state and participated in a closed-door discussion with President Putin regarding the crises in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
