Zelenskyy calls Sino-Brazilian initiative to end Russo-Ukrainian war "destructive"

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described the Sino-Brazilian proposal to end the Russo-Ukrainian war as destructive, as it is a mere political statement that has not been discussed with Ukraine.

Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with the Brazilian newspaper Metrópoles

Details: The Ukrainian president added that proposals advocating for a "mere political reconciliation" with Russia lack clarity.

Quote: "Reconciliation of what? What does it mean to just sit down and talk [with Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin]? He is a murderer... It's him who has to take steps to show that he wants the war to end. You can't just say we should make steps towards each other. What do you mean, ‘towards each other’? He came in, killed people, seized territory, and now [Brazilian president] Lula [da Silva] says let's let them talk.’

"If Lula supported us, he’d help stop the war. And it’d be even more important to have the support of a big country like Brazil, which has a separate influence, a very big one. We’re at war with Russia. You either support the war, or you don't.

If you don't support it, then help us stop Russia... What compromise are you talking about? Just give up our land, forget that they are killing our people? What do you mean by compromise? These are simply unacceptable things. That's why I think it's destructive."

Details: Zelenskyy explicitly stated that the Sino-Brazilian proposal is "also destructive".

Quote: "That's a mere political statement. I told Lula, we told the Chinese side – let's sit down together. Let's talk together. We're not your enemies, and you're not our enemies. Why have you suddenly decided that you have to take Russia's side or be somewhere in the middle? Why do you have to be somewhere in the middle? What kind of view is this? In the middle of what? We are at war on our soil. You have to stop the Russians, you have to show that you are strong nations.

How can you propose this without asking us anything? Russia has also gotten involved and said it supports the Sino-Brazilian initiative. What is this nonsense? It means that you've discussed an initiative with Russia, put it forward and said, 'Let's have this initiative'. This is definitely not about justice, not about values, definitely not about respect for Ukraine, definitely not about respect for the territorial integrity that both China and Brazil talk about so much."

Background:

• On 21 September 2023, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Brazilian leader Lula da Silva to discuss efforts to restore peace.
• China and Brazil jointly released a "six-point consensus" to promote a "political solution to the Ukrainian crisis". The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that this plan "has received a positive response from more than 110 countries.
• Brazil is one of the countries that did not sign the final communiqué of the Global Peace Summit, which was held on 15-16 June in Switzerland.
• In an interview with Ukrainska Pravda, Andrii Melnyk, Ukraine's Ambassador to Brazil, said that Brazil had not warned Ukraine of its intention to present a peace plan together with China to end Russia's war against Ukraine.

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