The US government must stop “encouraging war” in Ukraine and “start talking about peace”, the Brazilian president ruled today Luis Inacio Lula da Silvaconcluding his visit to China, where he was recorded reaching out to Xi Jinping.

“The US must stop encouraging war and start talking about peace, the European Union must start talking about peace,” Lula told reporters before departing for the United Arab Emirates.

The international community may thus be able to “convince” Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky that “peace is in the interest of the whole world,” he insisted.

Lula, who returned to Brazil’s presidency in January after two terms in 2003 and 2010, made a two-day visit to China as part of his bid to boost bilateral economic ties with his country’s biggest trading partner. He took the opportunity to emphasize that Brazil is “back” on the international stage and hopes to play a mediating role in the war in Ukraine.

The Brazilian center-left leader is called upon to maintain delicate balances in relations with the US and China, his country’s two largest trading partners.

His trip to China, which included a more economic aspect in Shanghai and a more political one in Beijing, where he met with Xi Jinping, followed his February visit to Washington.

Lula is confident that strengthening relations between Brasilia and Beijing will not have a negative impact on his country’s traditionally close relationship with the US.

Unlike many Western powers, China and Brazil have never imposed economic sanctions on Russia over the war, and both claim a mediating role.

The Brazilian president recently proposed the establishment of a group of states that would work to restore peace in Ukraine. Before visiting China, he promised that this team would be “created” once he returned.

Asked about the idea after his meeting with the Chinese president, Lula declined to elaborate.

“Patience” and talks with Mr. Putin and Zelensky, he simply said.

“But above all, the countries that supply weapons, that encourage war, must be persuaded to stop.”