The head of the UN noted that Russia (as the successor to the USSR — approx. Ed.) Is one of the key founding countries of the UN and «after a short period of a unipolar world» has become one of the key elements «in creating a new multipolar, polycentric world.»
V. Putin: Dear Mr. Secretary General! Dear Colleagues!
Let me all greet you.
The last time we met in St. Petersburg, in my opinion, a year ago at the economic forum.
Russia now heads the Security Council UN, presides. I hope that the work is constructive, it is saturated.
You know that we have always advocated and are advocating that the UN play a leading, central role in international affairs.
These days marks 70 years since the opening of the UN office in our country. We are ready to continue to work constructively as well.
We believe that the UN is the only such universal platform, and the organization’s charter is the basis of modern international public law. The role of the organization as a universal tool for resolving crises and preventing crises in international affairs is absolutely unique.
Welcome!
A. Guterres (as translated): Your Excellency Mr. President! I am very happy to visit Moscow again.
As you rightly said, indeed, Russia is chairing the Security Council this month. We now have two epoch-making, “milestone” moments that can be highlighted — this is the statement of the President of the Security Council on Ukraine, as well as the debate on the Middle East, which must pass.
Of course, we consider the Russian Federation as one of the key founding countries of the United Nations; it is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. But now we are particularly focusing on the fact that Russia is an indispensable element in creating a new multipolar, polycentric world.
To tell you the truth, this is not an easy time for multilateralism and for the United Nations. In the past, the Cold War ended, and there was a short period of a unipolar world, and now we are trying to actively find a new structure of a multipolar world with the corresponding multilateral governance structures. And, of course, all this causes my serious concern. I believe that the Russian Federation should play an active role in this process.
