Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, former president of Brazil, speaks at an event organized by trade unions. Photo by Bloomberg.
The former president of Brazil and candidate for the next election, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, assured that the president of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenski, “he’s very responsible” of war in that country like Vladimir Putin.
“Sometimes I see the president of Ukraine on television as if he is partying, receiving a standing ovation from all parliamentarians, you know? This person is responsible as Putin,” Lula launched.
“He is as responsible as Putin because a war has no one culprit,” he said in an interview with Time magazine.
The leader of the Labor Party, who will make his candidacy official next Saturday, launched a harsh stance on the 70th day after the Russian invasion.
Zelenski press conference at a subway station. Photo: Reuters
Although he said he did not know the Ukrainian president, he said “he has a strange attitude seems to be part of a show“.
In that sense, he taught: “He appears on television in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening; in the English parliament; in the German parliament; and in the French parliament as if campaigning.”
“I need to worry more about the negotiating table,” Lula lashed out. “I want a war”, he insisted. And he reiterated that if Zelensky “didn’t want a war, he negotiated a little more.”
“I attacked Putin when I was in Mexico City, saying the attack was wrong. But no one seeks to contribute to peace. People are fanning the flames of hatred against Putin. That will not be fixed. An agreement must be advanced, “the former Brazilian president suggested.
However, he warned that “there is a stimulus” for confrontation. “You keep rooting for the boy [por Zelensky] and he thinks it’s still cool. He thinks he’s still the cocada king, where they should have had a more serious conversation with Putin. “
In that aspect I leave a message with him: “‘Hey, man, you’re a great actor, you’re a great comedian, but we’re not going to make a war for you to appear’. And tell Putin: ‘ Oh, Putin, you have a lot of weapons, but you don’t have to use weapons against Ukraine. Let’s talk! ‘”
USA and NATO, also guilty
Lula, in Time magazine.
In addition to Zelensky, Lula also accused the United States and NATO of being “guilty” for the Russian aggression.
“Putin should not have invaded Ukraine. But Putin is not the only one to blame, The United States is to blame and the European Union is to blame“, said the former head of state (2003-2010) in the interview.
“What was the reason for the invasion of Ukraine? Is it NATO? The United States and Europe may have said: ‘Ukraine will not join NATO.’ The problem will be solved, “he said.
Asked if NATO was Russia’s reason for invading, he replied: “This is the argument used, if there is a secret we don’t know. The other is the [posibilidad de] for Ukraine to join the European Union.
“Europeans can fix this and say: ‘No, this is not the time for Ukraine to enter the European Union, we hope.’ They don’t have to foment a confrontation, ”he exclaimed.
In that sense, he said the talks in Moscow were “very few”, and attacked: “If you want peace, you have to be patient. They could have sat at a negotiating table and spent 10 days, 15 days, 20 days, a month arguing to try to find a solution. Dialogue only works when you take it seriously. “
His relationship with Joe Biden
Speaking about the position of the president of the United States in the war, Lula takes that into account “He didn’t make the right decision.”
“The United States carries a lot of weight and can prevent it, not encourage it. I could have said more and participated. Biden can get on a plane and land in Moscow to talk to Putin, ”he explained.
“This is the expected attitude of a leader. That he was interfering so that things would not get messy. And I don’t think he did, ”he asked.
Although the Brazilian leader said the White House leader should no longer make any concessions to Putin, he opined: “In the same way that the Americans convinced the Russians not to place missiles on Cuba in 1961, Biden said: ‘Let’s talk a little more.’ We don’t want Ukraine in NATO, period. “
“It’s not a concession. Let me tell you something: if I were president of the Republic and they offered me ‘Brazil can join NATO,’ I don’t want to,” he concluded.
Source: Clarin
