Israeli ambassador to Ukraine denies involvement in Sino-Brazilian “Friends of Peace” group

Israel is showing more support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's "peace formula" and is distancing itself from the Sino-Brazilian "Friends of Peace" initiative.

This was confirmed by Israel's Ambassador to Ukraine, Michael Brodsky, in an interview with ZN.UA, Rubryka reports.

Brodsky mentioned that Israel participated in a Peace Summit in Switzerland, but clarified it wasn't specifically about Zelensky's peace plan. Instead, it focused on possible peaceful solutions to the conflict in Ukraine. He added that Israel is involved in discussions around Zelensky's "peace formula" and had supported it in a UN vote, signaling clear backing for the initiative.

The ambassador stressed that Israel is eager for peace in Ukraine but believes the decision to end the war should be made by Ukraine itself. "We want the war to end as soon as possible, but it's premature to discuss a second peace summit. Once there are details, we'll decide how to proceed," Brodsky said.

When asked about Israel's stance on the Sino-Brazilian peace plan, Brodsky stated that Israel is not part of that process and emphasized that Ukraine's view on such plans is what truly matters. "Israel will support any resolution of the conflict that is acceptable to Ukraine," he reiterated.

What is known about the "Friends of Peace" initiative

On September 27, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced plans to create a "Friends of Peace" platform, focusing on a political settlement for the war in Ukraine. Fifteen countries, including Turkey, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Zambia, and Kenya, have joined this effort. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán also aims to organize a "peace summit" between Ukraine and Russia based on this initiative.

However, Ukrainian President Zelensky has criticized the Sino-Brazilian proposal, calling it a destructive political move that ignored Ukraine's input. Meanwhile, Switzerland, although present at discussions on the initiative, clarified that its position on the war in Ukraine remains unchanged and that it had only attended as an observer, without endorsing the plan.

Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has urged NATO countries to fully support the Ukrainian peace plan rather than the Sino-Brazilian proposal.