The UN Secretary-General is concerned about the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
Key takeaways:
- On Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met with Russia's and Ukraine's foreign ministers, expressing "serious concern" regarding the escalating tensions between the two countries.
According to his spokesman, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke to the foreign ministers of Russia as well as Ukraine on Monday, expressing "serious concern" about the escalating tensions between the two countries.
According to spokesman Stephane Dujarric, Guterres told Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov and Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dymtro Kuleba over the phone that diplomacy was the only way forward.
"The secretary-general expressed his serious concern to both foreign ministers about the heightened tensions surrounding Ukraine," Dujarric told reporters.
"He welcomed ongoing diplomatic conversations to defuse those tensions and to emphasize once again that diplomacy is the only option," the spokesman added.
Guterres, according to Dujarric, is still convinced that Russia will not invade Ukraine, as he stated in a press conference on January 21.
During his daily briefing at the United Nations headquarters in New York, the spokesman said, "I don't believe his viewpoint has changed in any way."
The UN Secretary-General was scheduled to meet with 15 UN Security Council ambassadors for a monthly lunch on Monday at Russia's diplomatic mission, which currently retains the council's rotating presidency.
Guterres will then make a press statement, according to Dujarric.
In Ukraine, the UN employs 1,660 people, including 1,440 Ukrainians and 220 foreigners.
"There are no plans for UN staff to be evacuated or relocated" from Ukraine, according to Dujarric.
On Thursday, the Security Council will meet to discuss Ukraine as well as the Minsk agreements, which were aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region.