António Guterres, UN secretary-general and a former Socialist prime minister of Portugal, is under fire on numerous levels today as he takes part in what one media outlet has described as “Putin’s grotesque (BRICS) summit” in Russia.

The decision by the Portuguese UN Secretary General António Guterres to attend a summit hosted by Vladimir Putin has met with criticism from Ukraine and its allies.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry blasted U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Monday for what it said was his acceptance of an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin to a BRICS summit, while staying away from a "peace summit" on the war in Ukraine.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres arrived in Russia on Wednesday to attend the BRICS summit, his first visit to the country for more than two years that has drawn scorn from Ukraine. "The UN Secretary General declined Ukraine's invitation to the first Global Peace Summit in Switzerland.

The Russian city of Kazan is hosting leaders from the world's emerging economies, including those from a new batch of members that joined BRICS this year.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held bilateral talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan on Tuesday. The two leaders discussed bilateral relations and the war in Ukraine.

In what will likely be framed as a show of strength in the face of sanctions and geopolitical ostracization over the war in Ukraine, Russia is hosting the 16th annual BRICS summit in Kazan between Tuesday and Thursday.

The meeting, on the sidelines of the Brics summit in Russia, came soon after the neighbours confirmed that they had reached a deal to resolve the military standoff on their Himalayan frontier. “I can confirm that there will be a bilateral meeting held between prime minister Modi and president Xi Jinping” on Wednesday,