Global Courant 2023-05-26 19:52:46
SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Friday he had had a phone call with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, reaffirming his readiness to begin peace talks with both sides of the war in Ukraine.
Lula tweeted that he had also thanked Putin for an invitation to attend an economic forum in St Petersburg, but had to turn it down because he “cannot visit Russia at the moment”.
“I reiterated Brazil’s willingness, along with India, Indonesia and China, to talk with both sides of the conflict to pursue peace,” Lula added, after also raising the issue with Chinese President Xi earlier this week. Jinping had discussed.
The Kremlin confirmed the call, saying Putin told Lula that Russia is open to dialogue on Ukraine.
Lula has set herself up as a peace broker to end the war that began when Russia invaded its neighbor in February 2022.
His proposal, based on Brazil’s tradition of non-intervention and neutrality, calls on a group of countries not involved in the war to bring both Russia and Ukraine into talks.
The leftist leader was expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on the sidelines of Japan’s Group of Seven summit this month, but the meeting fell through due to scheduling.
(Reporting by Gabriel Araujo; editing by Steven Grattan and Marguerita Choy)
