Brazil President Lula proposes UN summit to resolve Ukraine crisis

Americas, Europe, News May 23, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has proposed to hold a dedicated UN summit for Ukraine. According to Lula, it is inappropriate to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war in G7 or G20 formats. He said that this issue must be brought up with the UN Security Council.

While speaking at a press conference on May 23, 2023, President Lula said that “it is necessary to discuss the war in Ukraine at the UN. During all five months of my presidency, no one invited me to attend a UN meeting to discuss this war.”

Lula further added that “We could reschedule the General Assembly meeting, which usually takes place in September, to June or July to discuss the war.”

Brazilian President proposed that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky should be invited to speak at the event, which should be followed by a corresponding discussion with all other participants. He opposed the idea of discussing the matter in forums like G7 or G20, which do not have a substantial representation from all the stakeholders.

Previously, the Brazilian President also put forward a proposition to establish an international framework that opens a direct dialogue between Moscow and Kyiv. He also expressed his willingness to serve as a mediator for negotiations between the two warring states.

Lula’s comments come only days after the G7 Summit, which was held in Hiroshima, Japan. All the participants of the G7 bloc pledged their support for Ukraine and agreed to tighten their grip on Russia through economic sanctions. Lula was also present in Japan during the G7 Summit.

^{U.S. President Joe Biden, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, on May 20, 2023. (Image Credit: Susan Walsh/Reuters)}

During the press conference, President Lula said that he was “upset” for not being able to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was also attending the G7 Summit at the same time. “I was upset because I’d like to meet him and discuss the matter,” he said.

According to Lula, his team had scheduled a meeting with Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, however, the Ukrainian President was running late for the meeting and the two leaders could not hold bilateral talks.

Brazil claims to be a neutral party in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, however, due to its affiliation with the BRICS bloc and its close relationship with China and Russia, the U.S. has accused the Brazilian leadership of “parroting Russian and Chinese propaganda.” Last month, Brazil’s President Lula faced severe criticism from the U.S. after he accused Washington of “encouraging” the war in Ukraine.