President Lula advocates for NATO, EU, USA to promote peace in Ukraine

During an interview with the Portuguese radio and television news agency RTP, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said it is essential that countries work together on a peace plan that can bring the Russian and Ukrainian leaders to the negotiating table, with the support of the United States, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the European Union (EU).

The President clarified the Brazilian stance concerning the war in Ukraine stating that Brazil has no ambiguous position: "I don't know who interprets it that way. Brazil has a clear position: it condemns Russia for invading Ukraine's territorial space, period." He emphasized that “Brazil does not want to align itself with war but instead wants to ally with countries that work towards peace.”

"If everybody gets directly involved in the war, I ask: who is going to talk about peace? Who will engage in discussions with the governments at war to resolve the conflict? Who will take this step?" questioned Lula, reaffirming the importance of forming a group of countries that work towards ending the conflict.

"We need to construct a narrative that convinces Putin and Zelensky that war is not the best solution to their problems. NATO, the United States, and the European Union must 'begin talking about peace and discussing the issue," Lula emphasized.

Controversy

The topic of war and recent statements made by the president has sparked controversy leading up to Lula's visit to Portugal, which will conclude on Tuesday (Apr. 25). In response, Lula emphasized that in a democracy, people have the right to their opinions and that his visit to Portugal is merely to maintain a relationship with a sister country that Brazil values.

President Lula arrived in Lisbon on Friday morning (21) for an official visit to the country. It is the president's first trip to Europe since the beginning of his third mandate. 

*With information from Portuguese radio and television news agency RTP