On Wednesday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine but stated, “There is no use today in declaring who is right.”
His statements come after he angered Western allies earlier this month by saying they were extending the battle by giving arms to Ukraine.
Brazilians strongly oppose Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “The error launched the conflict,” he stated during an official visit to Spain.
“It’s pointless to argue now.” During a news conference alongside Pedro Sanchez, he continued, “We must halt the war.”
“I’m alone, shouting in the desert, yelling about peace.”
Lula, a 77-year-old former metalworker who served two terms as president from 2003 to 2010, has refused to align with Europe, the US, China, or Russia.
Obama sparked outrage earlier last month by stating America should cease “encouraging” the war by arming Kyiv.
Lula also recently infuriated Ukraine by proposing it give up the Crimea peninsula, which Russia illegally acquired in 2014 before invading Ukraine last year.
Europe, Ukraine, and the US criticised him for “parroting Russian and Chinese propaganda”.
“It is not up to me to determine who Crimea belongs to,” Lula said in Madrid on Thursday.
“You can debate everything, even Crimea, at a negotiation table,” he continued.
The Russians and Ukrainians will discuss that, not me.
“Aggressor and victim,” Lula proposed a neutral “G20 for peace” to negotiate an end to the Ukrainian crisis.
He also chastised the UN for failing to stop the war.
“The UN might have summoned an extraordinary session with all UN member nations to debate the conflict.” “Why didn’t it?” asked the Brazilian president.
Sanchez stressed that the crisis began when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
“In this battle, there is an attacker and a victim of an attack,” he added, calling Russian President Vladimir Putin “the aggressor”.
“It is crucial to listen to the attacked country and consider their peace proposal.”
Spain, a NATO member that closely aligns with the US, will take over the EU’s rotating presidency in July and is a strong friend of Ukraine.
On Tuesday afternoon, Lula landed in Madrid from Lisbon.
This is his first trip to Europe since returning to the government in January after defeating far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.
After four years of exile under Bolsonaro, the veteran socialist said “Brazil is back” on the world stage.
