BRICS leaders welcomed the ongoing efforts of Egypt, Qatar and other regional and international efforts aimed at reaching an immediate ceasefire, accelerating the supply of humanitarian aid and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.

Monitoring Desk: The Kazan Declaration has demanded reforms in the United Nations structure, particularly the Security Council. Having 134 points, the Declaration voiced against unilateral sanctions and settlement of regional crises, including in Ukraine and the Middle East. According to TASS News Agency, the Declaration expressed concern about the rise of violence and continuing armed conflicts in different parts of the world including Gaza and Ukraine, and mentioned an Israeli attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus and a terrorist attack on Lebanon involving the use of communications equipment, including pagers. The Declaration was quite tough on Israel as it also demanded the establishment of the sovereign State of Palestine within the internationally recognized 1967 borders and its admission to the UN. The Declaration called for the revival of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear program, which the US has unilaterally rejected. The Declaration demanded an open and fair multilateral…

Kazan: Despite facing criticism from Ukraine and the United States, the UN Secretary-General arrived in Kazan for the BRICS Summit. Antonio Guterres was received at the Kazan International Airport by Farid Mukhametshin, chairman of the State Council of the Republic of Tatarstan. It may be mentioned that Ukraine criticized the decision of the UN Secretary-General to attend the Kazan Summit, claiming that it would be counterproductive for global peace. US as well as European media have also promoted the Ukrainian stance and are criticizing Antonio Guterres.