Brazil warns of “risks” of further isolating Russia and closing diplomatic exit routes

Brazil’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira, warned this Wednesday in Congress of the “risks” of continuing to “cancel” Russia if it intends to work on a peaceful solution to the conflict after condemning any violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

In a hearing at the Congressional Foreign and Defense Committee, Vieira defended the position of “constructive balance” with which Brazil wants to be a reliable interlocutor in this war while pressures continue from partners such as Washington and Brussels to harden its stance towards Russia.

Vieira has insisted that Brazil has condemned the Russian aggression but has also defended the need not to continue isolating Russia from international forums and spaces where dialogue can be deepened.

The head of Brazil’s diplomacy has exposed the need to reform the UN Security Council to make it more democratic in light of the “political paralysis” caused by the war in Ukraine, as already pointed out by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

“In the contacts we had with external interlocutors, we have noted a clear interest in the contribution that Brazil can make”, Vieira said, referring to the interest shown by Lula in mediating in collaboration with other non-aligned countries, such as India or Indonesia, in this conflict.

Brazil’s proposal is one of several peace proposals that have been appearing as an alternative to that of President Volodymyr Zelensky, who refuses to sit down to negotiate with Russia unless every one of his conditions is taken into account, among which is the recovery of all the territories occupied by Russia.

Lula is one of the great world leaders who has not yet met with Zelensky, who, at the G7 summit held in Hiroshima, Japan, stood up the Brazilian president, who said he felt “annoyed” after the Ukrainian delegation kept delaying the appointment until finally not showing up.

“We have our schedules,” Zelensky said.

Days later, Kyiv played down the importance of that disagreement and affirmed that there would be more occasions shortly for both leaders to meet.

With information from El Periodista

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