Not hopeful of Ukraine-Russia peace solution in immediate future: UN chief

Addressing a press conference here ahead of the G20 summit, Guterres said that Russia and Ukraine still do not appear to be ending the conflict

New Delhi: United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Friday said he is not very hopeful that there will be a peace solution in the immediate future for the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Addressing a press conference here ahead of the G20 summit, Guterres said the two countries still do not appear to be ending the conflict.

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Asked whether India could mediate to end the war, he said, “When you have a conflict, all efforts of mediation are welcome…. (But) I am not very hopeful that we will have a peace solution in the immediate future.” On the need for reforms to multilateral institutions, Guterres said when these multilateral institutions were created, many of the countries of today did not even exist.

“This is true for the UNSC and many others,” he said.

Asked whether it was time for India to become a member of the UNSC, Guterres said, “It is not for me to decide who would be in the UNSC, it is for the members (to decide).”

“But it is obvious that India is today the country of the world with the largest population and it is a very important partner in the multilateral system.

“All I can say is that I believe that we need reforms in the multilateral system to reflect today’s world,” he added.

Asked whether there should be a timeline for reforms to the multilateral institutions, Guterres said, “There is a need to do it, but I am not sure if we get it. But I think it is urgent.”