Vladimir Putin warns of worsening conflict in the Middle East as 'multipolar' Brics summit concludes

UN chief calls for 'immediate ceasefire' in Gaza during address to leaders of emerging economies at summit in Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin said there was a need to create conditions to resolve the situation. Reuters

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that the situation in the Middle East is worsening and that his country is ready to take on the challenge of reducing tensions to ease worldwide fears of spreading war.

“We are concerned by events in the Middle East,” he told a closing press conference of the Brics bloc. “We don't want conflict to worsen. We will only have more problems on our hands if this happens.”

Mr Putin said Moscow is close to Iran, but the need is to create conditions to resolve the situation. “We see Russia's role in settlement of conflict in the Middle East,” he said.

“Naturally, people are afraid of exacerbation of the global situation that has to do with escalation in different conflict zones, in the Middle East, in Ukraine. But we are not the ones doing the escalation. It's the other side that's always doing this escalation.”

Mr Putin touched on US and Ukrainian reports that North Korean troops were being sent to fight in Ukraine, but only said what the two countries did within the framework of articles in the mutual defence back was their business.

Also on Thursday, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres told Brics leaders – including the Russian leader – the world needed peace in Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine and Sudan.

Mr Guterres told the summit of major emerging economies, including the UAE, in Kazan, south-west Russia, that “across the board, we need peace”.

“It takes a community of nations – working as one global family – to address global challenges,” the UN leader said in his opening remarks.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres greets Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Brics summit in Kazan, south-west Russia. AP

He called for peace in the Middle East, saying there was need for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza and an “immediate cessation of hostilities” in Lebanon, as well as an end to the Russia-Ukraine war.

“We need peace in Ukraine. A just peace in line with the UN Charter, international law and General Assembly resolutions,” said Mr Guterres.

He has been critical of Moscow's offensive and military annexation of Ukrainian territory but there has been no halt in the fighting, now grinding through its third year.

The UN Secretary General was in Russia for the first time since April 2022. Ukraine has condemned Mr Guterres's decision to visit Russia, branding Mr Putin a “criminal”.

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  Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shake hands on the sidelines of the Brics summit. AFP

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  Mr Putin and Mr Erdogan on the sidelines of the Brics summit. AFP

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  Mr Putin, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping with Zinash Tayachew, wife of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, during a reception at the summit. EPA

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  Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, centre, and Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani at the reception. EPA

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  President Sheikh Mohamed meets Mr Xi during the Brics summit in Kazan, Russia, on Wednesday October 23. Photo: UAE Presidential Court

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  Sheikh Mohamed in discussions with Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa. Photo: UAE Presidential Court

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  Sheikh Mohamed with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Photo: UAE Presidential Court

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  Sheikh Mohamed greets Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India. Photo: UAE Presidential Court

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  Sheikh Mohamed with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi. Photo: UAE Presidential Court

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  Sheikh Mohamed and other Brics leaders, from left, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, pose for a family photo at the Brics summit. AFP

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  Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at a Brics summit session. AP

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  President Sheikh Mohamed arrives at the Brics summit. Reuters

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  Sheikh Mohamed at the Brics summit which is being staged in Kazan, Russia. Reuters

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  Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs shake hands during the welcoming ceremony prior to an informal dinner on the sidelines of the Brics Summit. AP

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  From left, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira attend the welcoming ceremony. AP

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  Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, Mr Putin, centre, and Mr Modi attend a concert before an informal dinner on the sidelines of the Brics Summit in Kazan. EPA

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  Mr Putin, right, and Mr El Sisi shake hands during their meeting on the sidelines of the summit at Kazan City Hall in Kazan, Russia. AP

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  Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attends a welcoming ceremony at Kazan Airport upon his arrival to participate in the summit. Reuters

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  Mr Putin meets Mr Xi on the sidelines of the event. AFP

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  Mr Putin meets Dilma Rousseff, chairwoman of the New Development Bank and former president of Brazil. Reuters

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  Mr Putin greets South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the summit. EPA

The three-day summit also covered deepening financial co-operation, including the development of alternatives to western-dominated payment systems, efforts to settle regional conflicts and expansion of the Brics group of nations.

The alliance comprised Brazil, Russia, India and China when it was founded in 2009, with South Africa joining in 2010. In 2024, it expanded to include the UAE, Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, with Saudi Arabia yet to officially join, but participating as an invited nation. Turkey, Azerbaijan and Malaysia have formally applied to become members, and several other countries have expressed interest.

After the UN chief ended his speech, Mr Putin said: “Mister General Secretary said that we should all live as one big family. In families, unfortunately, there are often quarrels, scandals, division of property, and sometimes even fights.”

“The goal of Brics is to create the necessary mechanisms of interaction and create a favourable atmosphere in the common home,” he added.

Leaders at the summit have also called for peace in Gaza and Lebanon.

President Sheikh Mohamed discusses UAE's Brics role with global leaders at summit

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Chinese President Xi Jinping warned about “serious challenges” in the world, and said he hoped Brics countries could be a “stabilising force for peace”.

“We 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,” Mr Xi said.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian criticised the UN Security Council's role in front of Guterres, saying international bodies “lack the necessary efficiency to extinguish the fire of this crisis”.

And Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Israel aims to “empty” the Gaza Strip of Palestinians.