Accusing the United States and Europe of prolonging the conflict, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is trying to impose himself as a mediator. He said Sunday, April 16, that he had discussed with China and the United Arab Emirates a joint mediation in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Lula was speaking at a press conference in Abu Dhabi after official visits to the Emirates and China, wanting these two countries and others to join a ‘political G20’ to try to end the war that has started. by the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The war was caused by “decisions taken by two countries”, judged the Brazilian president.
“President Putin is not taking any initiative to stop the war. [President Volodymyr] Zelensky of Ukraine is not taking any initiative to stop the war,” Lula said, speaking through an official translator, before adding: “Europe and the United States continue to contribute to the continuation of the war. So they have to sit around the table and say, “That’s enough.” In China, the Brazilian president had previously accused Washington of “encouraging war” in Ukraine.
“I think we will succeed”
Thus, Lula said he suggested to the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed Ben Zayed Al Nahyan, and to the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, the creation of a group of countries whose mission would be to play mediators. “The G20 was formed to bail out the [global] economy that was in crisis. Now it is important to create another type of G20 to end this war and establish peace. This is my intention and I believe we will succeed,” he said, adding:
“Yesterday I spoke to the sheikh about the war. I spoke to Xi Jinping about the war. And I think we are meeting a group of people who would rather talk about peace than war. And so I think we’re going to be successful. »
Lula says he has already discussed his initiative with US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and leaders of South American countries. Lula, who was due to return to Brazil on Sunday, said his delegation had signed deals worth $10 billion (9 billion euros) in China.
Brazil ‘back’ on the international stage
Lula had arrived in the Emirates on Saturday after his two-day visit to China, where the Brazilian leader, who returned to power in January after two terms between 2003 and 2010, said Brazil was “back” on the international scene. Unlike several Western powers, China and Brazil have never imposed financial sanctions on Russia and are both trying to position themselves as mediators.
The Emirates have also adopted a neutral stance towards the conflict, and attracted large numbers of Russian businessmen fleeing the impact of Western sanctions, particularly in Dubai, an important financial centre. The wealthy Gulf country is Brazil’s second largest trading partner in the Middle East, according to the official WAM news agency.
Trade between the two countries, excluding petroleum products, amounted to more than 4 billion dollars in 2022, up 32% compared to the previous year. They struck a series of deals on climate change and biofuels on Saturday. The two countries said in a joint statement that the two leaders discussed topics including trade, technology, defence, aviation and food security.
The announced agreements include cooperation in the fight against climate change and that the Mataripe refinery, controlled by the United Arab Emirates and located in the northeast of Brazil, will invest up to 2.5 billion dollars in a project biodiesel in the region. The United Arab Emirates are to host the United Nations (UN) climate summit in Dubai in December and Brazil is a candidate for the organization of the 2025 edition.
