The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, made a direct criticism of the Brazilian Jair Bolsonaro (PL), with whom he had a phone conversation this Monday (18). He complained about the neutral stance that his counterpart has been defending in statements since the beginning of the war in Eastern Europe.
“I do not support his position of neutrality. I do not believe that anyone can remain neutral when there is a war in the world”, said Zelenski, in an interview with TV Globo. Bolsonaro has already stated on more than one occasion that he maintains this position, mainly in view of the high dependence on fertilizers imported from Russia.
Despite the president’s speeches, in international forums such as the United Nations, Brazil took a critical stance towards Moscow, condemning the Kremlin’s action in General Assembly and Security Council resolutions — the country abstained in the vote that suspended Russia. of the Human Rights Council.
“Let’s think about the Second World War. It was like that, many leaders were neutral at first”, completed Zelensky. “This allowed the fascists to swallow half of Europe and expand further and further, capturing all of Europe. This happened because of neutrality. No one can stand in the way.”
The Ukrainian, who highlighted that this interview was his first with a Latin American vehicle since the beginning of the conflict, reported that he told Bolsonaro he was grateful for the phone call they had, but that he needed a position of support from Brazil.
“I said: ‘If someone attacks you tomorrow, we will not be neutral.’ Regardless of the history of our previous relationship with this country that comes to capture its land, kill its people, rape its women, torture its children,” he said. “I count on your people. There is no difference between our values, there is only distance in kilometers.”
According to Zelensky, by opting for Bolsonaro’s neutrality, Russian Vladimir Putin “thinks he’s not alone”. He criticized the fact that the Brazilian leader’s stance was linked to trade issues. “Other things, commercial relations, are secondary. Respect for the people is necessary”, he concluded.
In addition to the issue involving fertilizers, this weekend, Bolsonaro said, without giving details, that negotiations with Russia for the supply of diesel to Brazil at a “cheaper” price are well advanced. It would be an attempt to remove the risk of shortages and contain the rise in fuel prices.
Asked what Bolsonaro’s response to his statements would have been, Zelenski said that the Brazilian said he supported Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and understood the pain of what is happening to the European country, but that he reiterated his position of neutrality.
He even compared the current situation to that of 2008, when Moscow annexed Crimea. “Nobody can say ‘I’m going to be a mediator’. Mediator of what? In the war? Between whom? It’s not a war between Ukraine and Russia, it’s Russia’s against the Ukrainian people,” he said. “A country invaded our territory eight years ago, and at that time there were many people who wanted to be mediators and remained neutral. […] It allowed Russia to do this second wave of invasion.”
The Brazilian government has not commented on the phone call that the two leaders had on Monday, nor on the statements made by the Ukrainian to Globo.
In a tweet, Zelenski had said that he had talked to Bolsonaro about the importance of negotiations to unlock grain exports, provided information about the situation at the front and reiterated a request for support “for our partners to join the sanctions against the aggressor”.
It was the first time the two leaders had spoken since the beginning of the war – Bolsonaro was with Vladimir Putin in Moscow days before the invasion of Ukraine and had at least one phone call with the Russian. The Brazilian president and Itamaraty have already criticized the sanctions strategy adopted by the West to isolate the Kremlin.
