September 12, 2024

Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Photo:REUTERS/Leah Millis) 

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the proposal from Brazil and China for resolving the war between Russia and Ukraine, calling it “destructive” in a comment to the Brazilian publication Metrópoles. 

“I had a good conversation with President Lula, and I felt that he understood me. I was grateful for the meeting and was very open, absolutely open,” the Ukrainian president said. He explained that he hoped to see in Lula’s actions “an understanding of what is happening, rather than just political reconciliation.”

“What does it mean to ‘just sit and talk’? He (Russian dictator Vladimir Putin) is a murderer. I need to be strong to sit down and talk about something. He needs to take steps to show that he wants to end the war. You can’t just say, ‘We need to take steps toward each other.’ He came in, killed people, seized territories, and now Lula says, ‘Let them talk.’ I could just talk to Lula because he is not my enemy. Brazil and Ukraine are in absolutely normal relations,” the Ukrainian leader noted.

Zelenskyy said that Kyiv was not consulted regarding the China-Brazil proposal to settle the war in Ukraine. He shared that he suggested to Brazilian President Lula and the Chinese side that they work together on a peace plan.

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“I told Lula, we communicated to the Chinese side: let’s sit down together, let’s talk. You are not our enemies, and we are not your enemies. Why did you suddenly decide that you must side with Russia, or be somewhere in the middle? Middle of what? We are not fighting in the middle, we are not fighting on the border. You need to stop the Russians. How can you propose — here is our initiative? And no one asked us! And Russia is involved here, saying: we support the Brazilian-Chinese initiative. We are not fools, what is this theater! — Zelenskyy said emotionally. — So you discussed some initiative with Russia, presented it, and said: let’s have such an initiative. This is definitely not about justice, not about values, it is certainly without respect for Ukraine,” the Ukrainian president added.

China-Brazil peace plan

On May 24, Reuters reported that Brazil and China are calling for peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine with the participation of both countries, describing such a move as the “only way to resolve the ‘Ukrainian crisis.’”

The statement was signed by Brazilian President’s Special Advisor Celso Amorim and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

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The document states that both countries support an international peace conference “conducted in due time, recognized by both Russia and Ukraine, with equal participation of all parties, and a fair discussion of all peace plans.”

Brazil and China also call on all parties to adhere to three de-escalation principles: not to expand the battlefield, not to intensify hostilities, and to avoid provocations. The statement also emphasizes the inadmissibility of using weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, and highlights the need to prevent nuclear proliferation and avoid a nuclear crisis.

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On June 5, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry responded to China’s statement on supporting the “Global South Peace Plan,” stating that the only fair basis for ending the war in Ukraine is President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s peace formula.

On Aug. 1, the Chinese Foreign Ministry reported that the China-Brazil plan for ending the war between Russia and Ukraine received “favorable feedback” from more than 110 countries worldwide.