Small EU state calls for UN boss to resign

Lithuania has blasted Antonio Guterres’s decision to attend the Russia-hosted BRICS Summit

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has made a big “mistake” by choosing to attend the BRICS summit in Russia this week while skipping Ukraine’s so-called “peace conference” last summer, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis claimed – suggesting that Guterres has lost his credibility and should consider resigning.

Guterres traveled to the three-day event in Kazan, where high-level delegations from 36 nations were in attendance. His office emphasized that the meeting represented nearly half of the world’s population and was thus “of great importance” for the organization’s work.

The Swiss-hosted Ukrainian gathering, which centered around Vladimir Zelensky’s so-called “peace formula,” took place in June and did not include Russia. Although the UN chief declined an invitation to attend, the organization was represented “at the appropriate level.”

READ MORE: Zelensky blocks UN chief’s visit to Ukraine – AFP

Commenting on Guterres's participation in the BRICS conference on Friday, Landsbergis argued that the UN Secretary-General is “no longer accepted as an honest broker” regarding conflict resolution between Russia and Ukraine.

If he decides to resign, we certainly would not discourage him.

“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,” the minister said, as quoted by local media.

If @antonioguterres decides to resign, Lithuania won't try to talk him out of it.

— Gabrielius Landsbergis