Russian president Vladimir Putin warned on Thursday against 鈥榠llusory鈥� attempts to defeat Russia on the battlefield ahead of his first meeting with UN chief Antonio Guterres in more than two years for talks set to focus on the conflict in Ukraine.
Putin was speaking in the Russian city of Kazan on the final day of the BRICS summit, a forum Moscow hopes will help forge a united front of emerging economies against the West.
Russia鈥檚 opponents 鈥榙o not conceal their aim to deal our country a strategic defeat鈥�, Putin said.
鈥業 will say directly that these are illusory calculations, that can be made only by those who do not know Russia鈥檚 history.鈥�
Shortly before he spoke, Russia鈥檚 lower house of parliament voted to ratify a defence pact with North Korea amid reports that Pyongyang has sent thousands of troops to Russia for training and possible deployment in Ukraine.
At the meeting, Chinese president Xi Jinping also warned about 鈥榮erious challenges鈥� in the world and said he hoped BRICS countries could be a 鈥榮tabilising force for peace鈥�.
鈥榃e need to continue to push for a ceasefire in Gaza, relaunch the two-state solution and stop the spread of war in Lebanon. There should be no more suffering and destruction in Palestine and Lebanon,鈥� Xi said.
Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian slammed the UN Security Council鈥檚 role as Guterres listened, saying international bodies 鈥榣ack the necessary efficiency to extinguish the fire of this crisis鈥�.
Putin said the Middle East was 鈥榦n the verge of full-scale war鈥�.
Putin has faced calls from his BRICS allies to end the Ukraine conflict, which began when Moscow launched a full-scale military campaign in February 2022.
Guterres has repeatedly criticised Moscow鈥檚 military offensive against Ukraine, saying it sets a 鈥榙angerous precedent鈥� for the world.
The two men last saw each other in the first weeks of the offensive, when Guterres travelled to Moscow during Russia鈥檚 siege of Mariupol in south Ukraine.
Guterres has since been involved in peace efforts between the two sides, helping to broker a deal that allowed Kyiv to safely export grain from its ports in 2022.
There has been little direct diplomatic contact between the two countries since.
Ukraine has strongly criticised the UN chief鈥檚 decision to meet Putin.
Putin has demanded Ukraine surrender territory in its south and east as a precondition for a ceasefire, a position Kyiv has called 鈥榓bsurd鈥�.
The Putin-Guterres talks come as Moscow鈥檚 troops advance in Ukraine鈥檚 eastern Donetsk region, edging closer to the key supply hub of Pokrovsk.
Ukraine has condemned Guterres鈥檚 Russia visit, with Kyiv鈥檚 foreign ministry blasting him for planning to meet the 鈥榗riminal Putin鈥�.
The pair will meet a day after the United States said it believed 鈥榯housands鈥� of North Korean soldiers were being trained in Russia.
鈥榃e don鈥檛 know what their mission will be or if they鈥檒l go on to fight in Ukraine,鈥� a senior US official said.
Putin has not yet commented on the reports.
Russia on Wednesday said people should 鈥榓sk Pyongyang鈥� about troop movements, refusing to confirm or deny the allegations.
Russian lawmakers on Thursday voted unanimously to ratify a defence treaty with North Korea that provides for 鈥榤utual assistance鈥� if either party faces aggression.
The document has now been sent for approval by the upper Federation Council.
Pyongyang and Moscow have drawn closer since Russia launched its 2022 offensive on Ukraine, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un praising Putin as his country鈥檚 鈥榙earest friend鈥�.
The West believes North Korea is already giving Moscow weapons to use in its Ukraine offensive.
Several world leaders called for an end to the Ukraine conflict at the BRICS summit.
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi 鈥� who has also tried to mediate between Moscow and Kyiv 鈥� said on Tuesday he wanted the conflict to be resolved 鈥榩eacefully鈥�.
鈥榃e totally support efforts to quickly restore peace and stability,鈥� he said.
New Delhi has walked a delicate tightrope since Moscow launched its offensive, pledging humanitarian support for Kyiv while avoiding explicit condemnation of Moscow鈥檚 actions.
South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has also urged an end to the conflict.
Starting in 2009 with four members 鈥� Brazil, Russia, India and China 鈥� BRICS has expanded to include other emerging nations, including South Africa, Egypt and Iran.
NATO member Turkey said last month it had asked to join the group and president Recep Tayyip Erdogan told delegates Thursday that 鈥榳e are determined to further our dialogue with the BRICS family, with whom we have developed close relations based on mutual respect鈥�.