Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Thursday against “illusory” attempts to defeat Russia on the battlefield, ahead of his first meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in more than two years, which will focus on the situation in Ukraine.
Putin was speaking in the Russian city of Kazan on the penultimate day of the BRICS conference, which Moscow hopes would help form a united front of rising economies against the West.
Russia’s opponents “do not conceal their aim to deal our country a strategic defeat”, Putin said.
“I will say directly that these are illusory calculations, that can be made only by those who do not know Russia’s history”.
Shortly before he spoke, Russia’s lower house of parliament voted to ratify a defence pact with North Korea amid reports that Pyongyang has sent thousands of troops to Russia for training and possible deployment in Ukraine.
At the meeting, Chinese President Xi Jinping also warned about “serious challenges” in the world and said he hoped BRICS countries could be a “stabilising force for peace”.
“We need to continue to push for a ceasefire in Gaza, relaunch the two-state solution and stop the spread of war in Lebanon. There should be no more suffering and destruction in Palestine and Lebanon,” Xi said.
Putin said the Middle East was “on the verge of full-scale war”.
Putin has received pressure from his BRICS allies to terminate the Ukraine conflict, which began when Moscow launched a full-fledged military operation in February 2022.
Guterres has frequently condemned Moscow’s military offensive against Ukraine, claiming it sets a “dangerous precedent” for the globe.
The two leaders last met each other in the early weeks of the offensive, when Guterres visited Moscow amid Russia’s siege of Mariupol in southern Ukraine.
Guterres has subsequently been active in peace talks between the two sides, assisting in the negotiation of a deal that will allow Kyiv to securely export grain from its ports in 2022.
Since then, the two countries have had very little direct diplomatic communication.
‘No place in modern world’
Ukraine has sharply criticized the UN Secretary-General’s plan to meet with Vladimir Putin.
As a precondition for a ceasefire, Putin has asked that Ukraine surrender territory in the south and east, which Kyiv has dismissed as “absurd”.
The Putin-Guterres discussions take place as Moscow’s troops advance in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk area, drawing closer to the critical supply center of Pokrovsk.
According to UN spokesperson Farhan Haq, Guterres will use the meeting with Putin to “reaffirm his well-known positions on the war in Ukraine”.
Haq stated that the UN chairman was prepared to offer mediation but was waiting for “the right conditions.”
“Obviously he stands ready, when the parties are willing, to offer his services. He will continue to monitor and see when the situation is right.”
Ukraine has criticized Guterres’ travel to Russia, with Kyiv’s foreign ministry condemning him for meeting with “criminal Putin”.
Guterres has condemned Moscow’s annexation of Ukrainian territory, claiming that it has “no place in the modern world”.
He has visited places where the Russian army has been accused of crimes in Ukraine and has consistently advocated for a “just peace”.
The meeting comes a day after the United States claimed that “thousands” of North Korean soldiers were being trained in Russia.
“We don’t know what their mission will be or if they’ll go on to fight in Ukraine,” a senior US official said.
Putin has not yet commented on the reports.
Russia on Wednesday said people should “ask Pyongyang” about troop movements, refusing to confirm or deny the allegations.
‘Mutual assistance’
On Thursday, Russian legislators voted overwhelmingly to sign a security treaty with North Korea that calls for “mutual assistance” if either party faces assault.
The document has now been sent to the Upper Federation Council for approval.
Pyongyang and Moscow have grown closer since Russia launched its 2022 attack on Ukraine, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hailing Putin as his country’s “dearest friend”.
The West believes North Korea has already sent Moscow weaponry for its Ukraine offensive.
Several world leaders demanded an end to the Ukraine war during the BRICS conference.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has also attempted to mediate between Moscow and Kyiv, stated on Tuesday that he wants the situation to be addressed “peacefully”.
“We totally support efforts to quickly restore peace and stability,” he said.
Since Moscow launched its offensive, New Delhi has walked a fine line between promising humanitarian assistance to Kyiv and avoiding open condemnation of Moscow’s actions.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has also called for an end to the war.
BRICS began in 2009 with four members: Brazil, Russia, India, and China, and has since extended to include other emerging nations such as South Africa, Egypt, and Iran.