KAZAN: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres arrived in the Russian city of Kazan on Wednesday to attend the BRICS summit and hold his first meeting with President Vladimir Putin in more than two years, officials announced.

Amid mounting international concern over conflict in the Middle East and Ukraine, Guterres will meet a number of leaders at the summit, according to the UN, including talks with Putin on Thursday.

Russia showcases growing BRICS clout

The two last met in April 2022, weeks after Russia’s military offensive against Ukraine.