UN chief asks Putin, Zelenskyy to negotiate end to war

UNITED NATIONS, Apr 21 (Al Jazeera): Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general, has separately requested meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy in their countries' capitals to try to negotiate an end to the nearly two-month war in Ukraine.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Wednesday that Guterres had sent letters to the UN missions of Russia and Ukraine, asking Putin to receive him in Moscow and Zelenskyy to welcome him in Kyiv.

"The Secretary-General said, at this time of great peril and consequence, he would like to discuss urgent steps to bring about peace in Ukraine and the future of multilateralism based on the Charter of the United Nations and international law," Dujarric said in a statement.