The pessimism of the UN secretary general displaces Ukraine. Podolyak: “There’s no need to justify feigned helplessness when it’s all obvious”
“Unfortunately, peace negotiations are not possible at the moment. Both sides are convinced they can win.” Pessimism about the prospects for peace, in the immediate future, is enclosed in these words Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, more than a year has passed since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, the theater of the Russian invasion. Russia “at the moment is not ready to withdraw from the occupied territories – he told El País -. And I believe that Ukraine hopes to push them back”. However, Guterres considers the risk of using nuclear weapons to be “very low”. “The Chinese initiative was very important in underlining that nuclear escalation is unacceptable,” he acknowledged. And at the moment the efforts are focused on “dialogue with both sides to solve concrete problems”. He is working on the extension of the wheat agreement which will end on May 18 and on a “meeting in Istanbul with the four parties”, Russia, Ukraine, the UN and Turkey.
Surprise at the words of the Secretary-General of the United Nations is expressed by Mikhaylo Podolyak, adviser to the Office of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. “It is somewhat surprising Guterres’ statement that ‘peace in Ukraine is not possible at this moment’,” wrote Podolyak on Twitter. “Surprising because peace would be possible if the aggressor were reminded of the articles of the UN Charter and ‘politely’ asked to leave the foreign territory, if the Russian Federation was no longer considered a part of the United Nations and the UN Security Council and if Russia withdraws its troops from Ukraine,” he adds, listing his reasons in response to Guterres. “There is no need – he concludes – to create ideas and justify the feigned impotence when everything is obvious”.
Source-www.adnkronos.com