Brazil, still yet to side with Ukraine, sends envoy to Kyiv instead of president

Following the invitation of the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, to visit Ukraine to view the effects of the aggression of the Russian Federation, it was announced that his adviser would be attending in his stead.

Al Jazeera reports this.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine announced an invitation for Lula to visit Ukraine after his numerous statements that both Russia and Ukraine are to blame for the continuation of the war and that Western countries should stop supplying weapons.

The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Oleh Nikolenko, noted that Lula's approach does not correspond to the actual state of affairs, according to which the victim and the aggressor are placed on the same scales and countries that help Ukraine defend itself are accused of encouraging war.

"Ukraine does not need to be convinced of anything. The war of aggression is being waged on Ukrainian soil and is causing untold suffering and destruction. More than anyone else in the world, we seek the end of Russian aggression based on the peace formula proposed by President Zelensky," Nikolenko said.

Thus, Lula was invited to visit Ukraine "to understand the real reasons and essence of Russian aggression and its consequences for global security."

However, in Brazil, they replied that instead of Lula, his adviser on foreign policy, Celso Amorim, would go. It is still being determined when this will happen; there is still no fixed date.

It should be noted that, according to CNN Brazil, this same adviser was sent by Lula to talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin about possible peace talks to end the war in Ukraine.

"It would be an exaggeration to say that the door is open [for peace talks], but it would be wrong to say that it is completely closed," Amorim said.

For reference:

Lula welcomed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Brazil this week, and on April 21, he visited Portugal. Two Brazilian officials told Reuters that during the visit, Lula plans to defend Brazil's neutrality and avoid criticism of the West's role in the war.

In Lisbon, Lula's arrival was met with a protest: Ukrainians gathered near the Brazilian embassy, waving flags and holding photos from Ukraine.