After criticizing Ukraine, Lula will meet with Zelensky
Ukrainian President Vlodimyr Zelenksy will meet with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) in New York, during the United Nations General Assembly, next Wednesday (20). The confirmation came after the Lula government suggested the date and times for the meeting, following a request presented by Zelensky.
The meeting will take place after Lula made controversial statements about the war between Russia and Ukraine in recent months, and also after avoiding a meeting with the Ukrainian president during the G7 summit. Recently, the PT member even said that Ukraine was as much to blame for the war as Russia.
Zelensky has demanded a tougher stance from Brazil towards the Russian government and criticized Lula’s statement to EFE Agency: “Lula’s statements do not bring any peace. It’s strange to talk about Russia’s security. Only Russia, Putin and Lula talk about Russia’s security, about the guarantees that must be given for Russia’s security. I simply believe that he [Lula] has his own opinion. Thoughts do not have to coincide with Putin’s.”
The war between the two countries began in February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine. Since then, Western countries have imposed a series of sanctions on Vladimir Putin’s country with the aim of putting an end to the war. However, Brazil has not taken a firm stance against Russia, and only says that the end of the war should be achieved diplomatically, in discussions between representatives of the two countries.
As part of the international trip to the UN Assembly, the PT member met this Monday morning (18), with the president of Switzerland, Alain Berset, to discuss the advancement of a trade agreement with Mercosur. Lula also had a meeting with former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
