UN chief to meet Putin in Moscow

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will visit Moscow on April 26, and will be received by President Vladimir Putin, a UN spokesman said Friday.

The secretary-general will have "a working meeting and lunch" with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for Guterres.

The UN chief sent separate letters Tuesday afternoon to the permanent missions of Russia and Ukraine to the UN, asking Putin to receive him in Moscow and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to receive him in Kiev, Dujarric said on Wednesday.

"The secretary-general said, at this time of great peril and consequence, he would like to discuss urgent steps to bring about peace in Ukraine and the future of multilateralism based on the Charter of the United Nations and international law," said Dujarric.

"He noted that both Ukraine and the Russian Federation are founding members of the United Nations and have always been strong supporters of this organization," the spokesman said.

Guterres on Tuesday called for a four-day humanitarian pause in fighting in Ukraine to allow for the opening of humanitarian aid corridors during the Orthodox Christian Holy Week.