United Nations: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky next week after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

On Thursday, two days after visiting Moscow, Guterres will meet with Zelensky and Ukraine’s foreign minister.

The Kremlin confirmed Putin’s Tuesday meeting with Guterres.

This week, Guterres requested these in-person meetings to reclaim the UN’s initiative, which has been largely lost since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.

Partly, the war has divided the permanent members of the UN Security Council: the US, France, UK, China, and Russia.

China has refused to condemn the invasion, portraying Russia as a Western victim.

Guterres hoped to end the war by sending letters on Tuesday.

“At this time of great peril and consequence, he would like to discuss urgent steps to bring about peace in Ukraine,” said spokesman Stephane Dujarric this week.

Since the war began, Guterres has only spoken to Zelensky once, on March 26.

Putin hasn’t answered Guterres’ calls or communicated with him since the UN chief said the invasion was illegal.

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