KARL SIGMUND BERTING ⟩ UN secretary-general spat in the face of international law

Daily caricature. 24.10.2024 Photo: Urmas Nemvalts

• It's black and white – the aggressor attacked a sovereign country due to its imperialist hangover.
• It's unseemly of the UN leader to go to Russia when Russians go on striking Ukraine's civilian sites
• If even the UN doesn't stand up for international law at the highest level, it no longer makes sense

The BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, casts several disturbing shadows, web editor Karl Sigmund Berting writes.

First, President Putin can show that many major world powers do not care about international law and are willing to sit at the same table with a war criminal, a person declared wanted by the International Criminal Court. This is a major diplomatic victory for the president of Russia. Yet even more disturbing in this whole story is the presence of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, as if to legitimize the war in Ukraine.

There are few people in Estonia who need to be reminded that the conflict in Ukraine is black and white. There is an aggressor who attacked a sovereign country while dealing with its own imperialist hangover. As everyone knows, drinking more when suffering from a hangover is not very recommended, and the results are visible to all of us now. Unfortunately, it seems to be so black and white only in our immediate region. In fact, there are many so-called world politicians who nod compassionately to Ukraine, without understanding the crux of the problem.

There are few people in Estonia who need to be reminded that the conflict in Ukraine is black and white. There is an aggressor who attacked a sovereign country while dealing with its imperialist hangover. Unfortunately, it seems like it looks so only in our immediate region.

And so it was that UN Secretary-General António Guterres went to visit Putin – dipping a piece of bread in salt and washing it down with vodka, according to the old Russian custom. Embarrassing! Obviously, every war ends at the negotiating table, but to go to Russia as head of the UN while the Russians continue to attack civilian sites in Ukraine on a daily basis is extremely unseemly and insulting. Moreover, it gives a clear propaganda victory to the Kremlin, which can definitely proclaim through all channels that «Russia is now back in the big game.» It didn't take very long, did it?

The entire event can be characterized by two keywords: wrong time and wrong place. Someone who is the secretary-general of the UN should understand the consequences of their actions. By cozying up to Putin, Guterres further undermines trust in the UN in our region. Even if he went there as a «peace envoy» to discuss some «peace plan» with Putin, it is not very convincing. It simply looks bad, and by doing it he has caused reputational damage both to himself and to the organization he leads. Additionally, he has spat in the face of the victim – Ukraine.

If the UN, too, does not stand up for international law at the highest level, then there is no longer any point to this organization in such form. Alternatively, there is no longer any point to the International Criminal Court if the head of the United Nations, too, finds its decisions only good to be used as a fan.