UN Secretary-General's meeting with Putin contradicts UN line on support for ICC – Ukraine's Permanent Representative

Serhii Kyslytsia, Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, has said the visit of UN Secretary-General António Guterres to Russia and his meeting with Russian ruler Vladimir Putin contradict the UN's policy of supporting the work of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Source: Kyslytsia on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

Details: Kyslytsia referred to a section of the guidelines on meetings between UN Secretariat representatives and individuals who are subject to arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court, such as Putin. These guidelines were approved by Guterres’s predecessor, Ban Ki-moon.

The passage quoted by Kyslytsia notes that individuals subject to an ICC warrant may deliberately seek to meet with UN officials in order to demonstrate their contempt for the ICC and try to undermine its authority.

"The Relationship Agreement between the United Nations and the International Criminal Court requires the United Nations to refrain from any actions that would frustrate the activities of the Court and its various organs, including the Prosecutor, or undermine the authority of their decisions," the passage says.

Background:

• This week, UN Secretary-General António Guterres travelled to the Russian city of Kazan to attend the BRICS summit and met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
• The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry criticised Guterres for taking this step, noting that he had declined to attend the inaugural Peace Summit in Switzerland.
• Following his trip, Guterres stated that he had advocated for a just peace in Ukraine in line with the UN Charter. During his meeting with Putin, he emphasised that Russia's invasion of Ukraine constitutes a violation of international law and called for the safety of shipping in the Black Sea to ensure global food security.
• Media reports suggest that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy refused to consent to the UN Secretary-General visiting Kyiv because of his trip to Russia.

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