UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on the Russian leadership to end the war in Ukraine and to allow the UN to help evacuate people from the besieged city of Mariupol during a visit to Moscow on Tuesday in which he met President Vladimir Putin.

“It is my deep conviction that the sooner we end this war, the better,” Guterres told reporters after an hours-long discussion with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov before meeting later with Mr Putin.

It was Mr Guterres’ first visit to Russia since the war broke out in late February. He visits Kyiv later in the week.

As the war grinds into its third month and the human suffering escalates, there has been growing criticism that the 72-year-old should take a more active role in ending the fighting.

Mr Guterres said Moscow repeatedly laid out its “many grievances” about the international community.

But “one thing was true and obvious” about the current crisis, he said, “We do not have Ukrainian troops in the territory of the Russia Federation, but have Russian troops in the territory of Ukraine.”

Mr Lavrov, standing next to Mr Guterres, replied amiably, “I can confirm that.”

Mr Guterres said the conflict had sent “shock waves” around the world, including on food and energy prices, and that reports of “possible war crimes” needed to be independently investigated.

But his focus was largely on resolving humanitarian problems in Ukraine.

He proposed the formation of a trilateral group consisting of representatives of the UN, Kyiv and Moscow. This contact group could ensure the safety of civilian escape corridors, Mr Guterres said.

“The United Nations is ready to fully mobilize its human and logistical resources to help save lives in Mariupol,” added Mr Guterres, referring to the south-eastern port city that has been the scene of some of the war’s worst violence.

Mr Putin “agreed, in principle” to such an arrangement for the Azovstal plant in Mariupol, Mr Guterres’ spokesman said after the one-hour meeting.

The Azovstal steelworks represents the last stand of Ukrainian defenders in Mariupol. Civilians are holed up at the sprawling complex along with fighters.

Portions of the meeting were broadcast on Russian television.

(NAN)