Former Brazilian President Lula da Silva has said Russia should never invade Ukraine, but considers Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to be “equally responsible for the war” as his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
In an interview with Time magazine published today, the leader of the left in Brazil also stressed that he believes that US President Joe Biden could have done more to prevent the conflict than to incite it.
Lula, who has been featured on the cover of Time this week, is considered a favorite in the October presidential election in Brazil and aims to prevent the re-election of the far-right Bolsonaro to return to the presidency after the annulment of the verdicts against him for dissent. which led him to prison.
Among other things, Lula said it was irresponsible on the part of Western leaders to celebrate Zelensky because they encouraged war instead of focusing on closed-door negotiations aimed at ending hostilities.
“I see the president of Ukraine talking on television and applauding MEPs,” he said. “This man is as responsible as Putin for the war.” “Because in war, there is not just one culprit.”
Lula stressed that Biden and EU leaders did not do enough to negotiate with Russia before the invasion of Ukraine in February. “The United States has a lot of political influence, and Biden could have prevented the war instead of inciting it,” he said. “You expect this kind of behavior from a leader.”
The United States and the European Union could have prevented the Russian invasion by making it clear that Ukraine would not join NATO, Lula continued. “Putin should not have invaded Ukraine. But it is not just Putin who is to blame. “The United States and the European Union are also to blame,” said the former Brazilian president.
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