The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres was awarded the Charles V European Award on Tuesday at the Yuste Monastery in Cáceres, Spain. Guterres said the recognition held “special meaning” for him, as he had visited the monastery in 1995 after winning his first election in Portugal and was impressed by the simplicity of Charles V’s final years.
In an interview with EL PAIS, Guterres spoke about the problems of the world, including the war in Ukraine, global warming, and the refugee crisis. He said that peace negotiations were not possible at this time in Ukraine, as both parties were convinced that they could win. Guterres added that the most important initiative currently is the export of grain from Ukraine and food products and fertilizers from Russia through the Black Sea, which the UN is trying to save by preparing a meeting of the four parties involved.
Guterres also discussed the risk of escalation and the use of atomic weapons by Russia or a nuclear accident in Zaporizhzhia. He hoped that there was enough care on both sides to prevent a tragedy and said that the possibility of a nuclear escalation was very small. Guterres also spoke about the delivery of weapons to Ukraine and whether it responds to the right to self-defense, but he refused to comment on the issue.
Finally, Guterres warned that we are on our way to seeing a 2.8°C (5°F) rise in global temperatures by the end of the century, and he proposed a solidarity pact between developed and emerging economies to avoid a catastrophe.
Monday, June 5, 2023