Russia-Ukraine war: What UN chief Guterres, Putin agreed

The United Nations (UN) has shared the deal Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Russian President Vladimir Putin reached on Tuesday.

It was the first high-level meeting the world body had with Russia since the February 24 invasion of Ukraine.

The UN disclosed that there would be evacuations from a crowded steel plant in the city of Mariupol.

Guterres and Putin deliberated “humanitarian assistance and evacuation of civilians from conflict zones, namely in relation to the situation in Mariupol”, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

The UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) are expected to be involved in the evacuation of citizens from the Azovstal steel complex.

There will be further talks between the UN Humanitarian Office and the Russian Defense Ministry.

Guterres expressed opposition to Russia’s military action in Ukraine and raised concerns about those trapped.

But Putin said Russian troops offered humanitarian assistance, adding that Ukrainian fighters were using civilians as shields.

Guterres is scheduled to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Thursday.