Estonia, Lithuania slam UN chief for attending Russia’s BRICS summit

Estonia and Lithuania on Wednesday criticized UN Secretary General António Guterres’ attendance at the summit of emerging industrial nations hosted by Russia.

The summit of the BRICS brings together Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, the original group of members from which the organization derives its abbreviation. The original members have been joined this year by Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates.

By attending the BRICS summit hosted by Russia, Guterres “is offering a clear propaganda victory to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s regime,” Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said in a post on X.

“There should be no going back to business with an aggressor that is waging a bloody war in Ukraine and blatantly violating the UN Charter,” he said.

His Lithuanian counterpart Gabrielius Landsbergis wrote “unacceptable” in response to a post from the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry announcing the UN leader’s visit.

Estonia and Lithuania on Wednesday criticized UN Secretary General António Guterres’ attendance at the summit of emerging industrial nations hosted by Russia.

The summit of the BRICS brings together Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, the original group of members from which the organization derives its abbreviation. The original members have been joined this year by Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates.

By attending the BRICS summit hosted by Russia, Guterres “is offering a clear propaganda victory to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s regime,” Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said in a post on X.

“There should be no going back to business with an aggressor that is waging a bloody war in Ukraine and blatantly violating the UN Charter,” he said.

His Lithuanian counterpart Gabrielius Landsbergis wrote “unacceptable” in response to a post from the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry announcing the UN leader’s visit.