United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Photo: Xinhua

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Wednesday night asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring troops back to Russia shortly after Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine.

"I must say, President Putin: In the name of humanity bring your troops back to Russia. In the name of humanity do not allow to start in Europe what could be the worst war since the beginning of the century," the top UN official told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York after the Security Council emergency meeting on Ukraine concluded.

At a moment when the world is emerging from COVID-19 and so many developing countries absolutely need to have space for the recovery, it would be "very, very difficult, with the high prices of oil, with the end of exports of wheat from Ukraine, and with the rising interest rates caused by instability in international markets," Guterres said.

Noting it is "the saddest moment" in his tenure as the UN chief, Guterres called on Putin to stop the conflicts and "give peace a chance."