Lula negotiator in Ukrainian? He also wants China in the peace negotiations

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In his meeting with German Chancellor Scholz, Brazilian President Lula offered himself to mediate, asking for the participation of China as well. “Brazil is a country of peace”

Paintings full of holes in the walls of the presidential palace Palácio do Planalto, in other parts of the building windows without glass, rooms without mirrors and sinks. These are signs of the disastrous passage left by the followers of Bolsonaro, the former far-right president of Brazil, who was defeated in the recent elections and is in the US refusing to accept reality. In the presidential palace is his successor, Lula da Silva, in his third presidential term. Brazil is back on the international political stage and Lula wants to make it clear. He is soon planning a visit to the USA and Chancellor Soltz has invited him to Berlin.

“Brazil is a country of peace”

Brazil was the last stop on Solz’s Latin American tour. As reported by German correspondents, it was not a meeting with the well-known dictates of the protocol, but a pleasant event, and this also came out. The press conference was not like the usual ones. There were no opening statements, but Lula suddenly changed his mind. And he begged the chancellor to say a few words. “We missed you,” Soltz told him, prompting Lula to leave his seat and give the German chancellor an emotional hug. The leader of the Labor Party is regarded by the German Social Democratic Party as a “comrade”, even a friend. For Soltz, an old acquaintance. She kept in touch with him from his previous presidential terms, even after he was jailed on corruption charges. The press conference was going well until it was time to talk about Ukraine, where the big differences of opinion became clear. In his statements, Solz remained on his familiar line and explained that Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine is an attack on the international order, “it is a global problem, not just a European one”.

Lula, for his part, avoids characterizing Russia as an aggressor country, but speaks of a war between two warring sides. “Nobody knows why this war started,” he said. “Some believe that Ukraine wanted to join NATO, Pope Francis had said so.” In fact, he defended his position on the Ukrainian president, which he had stated in an interview after the start of the war, that “this guy is as responsible for the war as Putin”. To the German request to give ammunition for the 30 Gepard armored vehicles that Germany has made available to Ukraine and another 10 that will be delivered soon, the president of Brazil appeared negative, saying that he does not want to get involved directly or indirectly in this war. “Brazil is a country of peace,” he said.

Lula also asks for China in the peace negotiations

To everyone’s surprise, Lula even tried to relativize the situation by saying that the Russians made the classic mistake of invading another country’s territory. “But there is a Brazilian proverb that says that when one side does not want, two do not fight.” He admitted that he did not understand the cause of the war, but pointed out that the US war in Iraq was also started with a lie. At the press conference he mused aloud about who could play the role of mediator by nominating himself.

Süddeutsche Zeitung’s correspondents in Brazil recall that the Brazilian politician has proven in the past that he manages to bring conflicting parties to the negotiating table, both in South America and in the Middle East. In the case of Ukraine, Lula is asking for a different kind of alliance, an international alliance of forces with the participation of his country, China, India and other states along with Ukraine and Russia. “I don’t know when the war will end when we’ve been idle for so long.” He even mentioned every possible format, with groups of 10 (G 10), 15 or 20 states. “The world needs peace, the world does not know why this war is being fought.”

And Soltz? He listened motionless to what his interlocutor was saying, and when it came time to speak, he tried to correct the impression by saying that Lula has a different view of the war in Ukraine than he does. “But together we are stronger, and so (we must) be to end this terrible war of aggression against Ukraine.” And so that there are no misunderstandings, he emphasized once again that “we condemn the Russian attack on Ukraine, for me there can be no peace in the whole of Ukraine if Russia does not withdraw its forces, it cannot occupy foreign territory”. The Welt newspaper describes Lula’s attitude as a “rape” for Solz. Because with his argumentation, the German chancellor managed to convince many other states of the so-called Global South to condemn the Russian attack, as was evident from his visits to Argentina and Chile.

And before the two politicians said goodbye with another hug, the president of Brazil had a request: The German national team should not come back to his country and win 7-0, like in the 2014 World Cup. He prefers a draw.

DW – Irini Anastasopoulou

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