UN chief calls Russia-Ukraine war 'unwinnable'

UN chief Antonio Guterres said Tuesday that it was time for Russia to end their "absurd war" in Ukraine, declaring the conflict "unwinnable."

The Secretary General told reporters at the world body's headquarters in New York that the war "is going nowhere, fast."

"For more than two weeks, Mariupol has been encircled by the Russian army and relentlessly bombed, shelled and attacked. For what?" he said.

"Even if Mariupol falls, Ukraine cannot be conquered city by city, street by street, house by house."

Guterres added that "the only outcome" to more fighting was "more suffering, more destruction, and more horror as far as the eye can see."

Negotiators from Moscow and Kyiv have held ongoing talks aimed at ending nearly four weeks of fierce fighting, but have failed to announce any progress so far.

Guterres said though that he believed diplomatic negotiations to bring a halt to fighting were making headway.