Head of the Ukrainian embassy in Brazil, diplomat Anatoliy Tkach said this Tuesday (22) that the entire international community is responsible for preventing conflict in the east of the European country and that a neutral stance only serves to escalate tensions. He also appealed to the Jair Bolsonaro (PL) government to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to recognize the rebel territories of Donetsk and Lugansk and send troops to these locations.
“The entire international community is responsible for preventing the new conflict. The absence of a neutral stance or stance will only serve to escalate further. [das tensões]”, declared Tkach, during an online interview.
After months in which the United States and allies denounced the concentration of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine, Putin recognized, on Monday (21), the autonomous areas resulting from the civil war in eastern Ukraine. After signing the act, he ordered the deployment of Kremlin troops to support ethnic Russian separatists.
In the interview, Tkach also defended that Brazil condemn the Russian action – which the Bolsonaro government has not done so far.
“We would like to count on Brazil’s support in the matter related to yesterday’s decision [tomada por Putin]. Brazil has always spoken out in favor of resuming diplomatic negotiations and we would also like Brazil to condemn the decision of the Russian Federation,” he said.
The Brazilian position on the subject was expressed on Monday by the country’s ambassador to the UN, Ronaldo Costa Filho, during a session of the Security Council.
On the occasion, the Brazilian diplomat defended an immediate ceasefire, as well as the “comprehensive withdrawal of troops and military equipment on the ground”. However, Costa Filho did not mention Putin in his speech and avoided any condemnation of the Russian decision to recognize the territories and occupy them militarily.
With this, Brazil is trying to balance itself on the delicate international board and not get upset with the Putin government. Russia is Brazil’s partner in the BRICS (a bloc also formed by India, China and South Africa) and was the destination, last week, of a visit by President Bolsonaro.
The head of the Ukrainian embassy in BrasÃlia argued that Brazil’s demonstration at the UN “was a clear sign that Russia’s speech is not influencing all members of the international community.”
Bolsonaro’s passage through Moscow amid escalating tensions on the Ukrainian border was controversial. The agenda was maintained even after pressure from the US for Bolsonaro to cancel the trip.
In statements, Bolsonaro expressed “solidarity” with Russia and referred to Putin as a seeker of peace, which drew criticism from the US government.
On Tuesday, Anatoliy Tkach said that Ukraine is facing the “real threat of a Russian invasion” that aims to occupy part or all of its territory.
“Such an invasion would be a serious violation of fundamental principles of international law and Ukraine, together with its partners, is applying diplomatic efforts to prevent [que ela ocorra]”.
He also said Putin’s determination to recognize the territories of Donetsk and Lugansk “violates fundamental principles of international law” and means Russia’s unilateral withdrawal from the Minsk accords – a dialogue mechanism created to try to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
“We understand the purposes of Russia’s actions, to provoke Ukraine, but we are committed to the political-diplomatic solution of the armed conflict,” he declared.
