All news

Putin may touch base with UN chief during SCO summit, Kremlin spokesman says

In response to a request from reporters, Dmitry Peskov explained the reasons behind the UN chief’s trip to the summit

ASTANA, July 3. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin may talk with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the current Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit but there are no official plans for a meeting at this point, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"I don’t rule out that they will be able to hold a brief meeting. However, there are currently no plans for a separate bilateral meeting," he said.

In response to a request from reporters, Peskov explained the reasons behind the UN chief’s trip to the summit. "The SCO is an international organization whose summits are attended by the heads of other international organizations. This is normal diplomatic practice," he pointed out.

The Russian presidential spokesman did not agree with journalists drawing parallels between the United Nations and the West, which has a negative attitude towards the SCO. "The United Nations brings everyone together. There are different opinions but it’s not right to put it this way," Peskov emphasized.