Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday accused United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres of abandoning the neutrality expected of his office and aligning himself with the Western position on the Ukraine conflict, arguing that the UN chief has failed to serve as an impartial international mediator.

Speaking at a press conference in Moscow, Lavrov said Guterres had openly sided with the West despite his long experience within the UN system.

"Unfortunately, the current Secretary General, whom I have known very well and for a long time, who has worked a lot in the UN system, does not meet these requirements, openly plays along with the West, including on the Ukrainian issue," Lavrov said.

The remarks reflect growing Russian criticism of what Moscow sees as the politicization of international institutions and the erosion of the UN's role as a neutral arbiter. Russian officials have increasingly argued that the organization's leadership has echoed Western narratives on Ukraine while overlooking the security concerns that Moscow says led to the conflict.

For years, Russia has maintained that NATO's expansion toward its borders, Ukraine's deepening military cooperation with the alliance, and the prospect of Ukrainian NATO membership posed a direct threat to Russian national security. Moscow has repeatedly identified those concerns as a central factor behind the launch of its military operation in February 2022, while accusing Western governments of dismissing Russian warnings and fueling confrontation rather than pursuing a negotiated security arrangement.

Source:Websites