Ukraine lashes out at Lula da Silva over his stance on the war

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On Tuesday, Ukraine launched strong criticisms of the Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and invited him to the country to “understand” the reality of Russian aggression, at a time when Brazil is promoting international mediation to end to war, that is rejected by the United States.

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The spokesman of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Oleg Nikolenko, said that Ukraine is the first to be interested in ending the war, that he observes Lula’s efforts “with interest” and is confident that he will pay a visit that will allow him a direct contact.

However, in a much more critical tone, he added that Lula puts “victim and aggressor on the same level” and for attacking Ukraine’s allies who are helping it “protect itself from murderous aggression,” AFP news agency reported.

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“We reiterate our invitation to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to visit Ukraine and understand the true causes and nature of Russian aggression and its consequences for global security,” Nikolenko wrote in a Facebook post.

The spokesman added that “Ukraine does not need to be convinced of anything”, 14 months after the Russian invasion.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira (right) received his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Brasilia on Monday.  Photo: BLOOMBERG

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira (right) received his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Brasilia on Monday. Photo: BLOOMBERG

“The war of aggression has been waged on Ukrainian soil and is causing untold suffering and destruction. More than anyone else in the world, we aspire to end Russian aggression based on the Peace Formula of (Ukrainian, Volodimir) President Zelensky, Nikolenko stressed.

controversial visit

The invitation comes a day after Lula received Russian Foreign Minister Serguei Lavrov, who is touring Latin American countries to promote international mediation in the war in Ukraine.

Last week Lula was in Russia’s ally China, where he met with President Xi Jinping and accused the United States and the European Union (EU) of fueling the conflict with their continued arms deliveries to Ukraine.

Brazilian President Lula da Silva was in China last week with his counterpart Xi Jinping.  Photo: REUTERS

Brazilian President Lula da Silva was in China last week with his counterpart Xi Jinping. Photo: REUTERS

Lula, who tries to maintain a neutral stance, also recently said that Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky should consider permanently ceding the Crimean peninsula to Russia, which Moscow annexed in 2014.

The Brazilian president also proposes that Russia return the Ukrainian territories it has captured since it launched its invasion of the country and receive guarantees that NATO will not incorporate Ukraine or continue to expand eastward.

US Reviews

On Monday, while Lavrov met Lula, White House spokesman John Kirby accused Brazil of ‘echoing Russian and Chinese propaganda’ about the conflict.

“The way Brazil has addressed the issue both substantively and rhetorically by suggesting that the United States and Europe are somehow not interested in peace or that they share responsibility for war is deeply problematic,” he said.

“At that point, Brazil is parroting Russian and Chinese propaganda, paying absolutely no attention to the facts,” he added.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira defended relations with Russia and said he strongly disagreed with the White House’s criticisms.

“I don’t know how or why the White House National Security Council spokesman came to this conclusion. But I don’t agree in any way,” Vieira told reporters in Brasilia, after also meeting with Lavrov.

“I can only say that Brazil and Russia are celebrating 195 years of diplomatic relations this year (…) they are two countries that have a common history”, said the minister in front of the official residence of Alvorada, in Brasilia.

Source: agencies

Source: Clarin

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