US thinks UN chief too accommodating to Moscow, leaked files suggest
The latest revelation from a series of leaked US classified documents suggests that the US believed the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is too willing to accommodate Russian interests. The leaked documents appear to suggest that Washington has been watching Mr Guterres closely, and contain other observations on topics such as the war in Ukraine and several African leaders.
One of the leaked documents focuses on the Black Sea grain deal brokered by the UN and Turkey in July 2022, following fears of a global food crisis. It suggests that Mr Guterres was so keen to preserve the deal that he was willing to accommodate Russia’s interest, even if that involved sanctioned Russian entities or individuals.
UN officials, however, have bristled at the suggestion that Mr Guterres was being soft on Moscow, saying that the UN was driven by the need to mitigate the impact of the war on the world’s poorest.
The leak is the latest in a series of dangerous leaks and US officials are trying hard to get to the bottom of it.
John Kirby told the BBC that the US government was also actively reaching out to allies to answer questions they have about the leaks, so they know “how seriously we are taking this”.