{"id":6045,"date":"2023-04-22T18:08:49","date_gmt":"2023-04-22T18:08:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/londonpost.news\/?p=6045"},"modified":"2023-04-22T18:08:49","modified_gmt":"2023-04-22T18:08:49","slug":"brazils-lula-accuses-the-us-for-facilitating-a-war-in-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/americas\/brazil\/brazils-lula-accuses-the-us-for-facilitating-a-war-in-ukraine\/2023\/04\/22\/admin1\/","title":{"rendered":"Brazil’s Lula accuses the US for “facilitating” a war in Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0BRASILIA <\/a><\/span>(AFP)Lula<\/span> has<\/span> just<\/span> returned<\/span> from<\/span> a<\/span> trip<\/span> to<\/span> China<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> Arab<\/span> Emirates,<\/span> during<\/span> which<\/span> he<\/span> sparked<\/span> controversy<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> West<\/span> by<\/span> accusing<\/span> the<\/span> US<\/span> of<\/span> “sponsoring<\/span> the<\/span> war”<\/span> in<\/span> Ukraine.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>He<\/span> also<\/span> said<\/span> that<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> States<\/span> and<\/span> Europe<\/span> “must<\/span> start<\/span> talking<\/span> about<\/span> peace”<\/span> and<\/span> that<\/span> in<\/span> February<\/span> 2022<\/span> Russian<\/span> forces<\/span> would<\/span> overthrow<\/span> the<\/span> democratically<\/span> elected<\/span> government<\/span> and<\/span> annex<\/span> parts<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> pro-Western<\/span> Ukraine.<\/span> He<\/span> said<\/span> Kiev<\/span> was<\/span> responsible<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> conflict<\/span> that<\/span> began<\/span> when<\/span> it<\/span> invaded<\/span> the<\/span> Country.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>His<\/span> comments<\/span> echo<\/span> the<\/span> language<\/span> commonly<\/span> used<\/span> by<\/span> Moscow<\/span> and<\/span> Beijing<\/span> to<\/span> blame<\/span> the<\/span> West<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> war.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Russia’s<\/span> top<\/span> diplomat<\/span> Sergei<\/span> Lavrov<\/span> on<\/span> Monday<\/span> thanked<\/span> Lula<\/span> for<\/span> offering<\/span> to<\/span> mediate<\/span> peace<\/span> talks<\/span> over<\/span> the<\/span> 14-month<\/span> war.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>However,<\/span> the<\/span> visit<\/span> and<\/span> Lula’s<\/span> recent<\/span> comments<\/span> have<\/span> sparked<\/span> criticism<\/span> from<\/span> the<\/span> White<\/span> House,<\/span> which<\/span> has<\/span> cited<\/span> its<\/span> support<\/span> for<\/span> Ukraine.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>“In<\/span> this<\/span> case,<\/span> Brazil<\/span> is<\/span> parroting<\/span> Russian<\/span> and<\/span> Chinese<\/span> propaganda<\/span> without<\/span> at<\/span> all<\/span> looking<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> facts,”<\/span> US<\/span> National<\/span> Security<\/span> Council<\/span> spokesman<\/span> John<\/span> Kirby<\/span> told<\/span> reporters.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>He<\/span> described<\/span> Lula’s<\/span> message<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> war<\/span> as<\/span> “deeply<\/span> problematic.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Brazilian<\/span> Foreign<\/span> Minister<\/span> Mauro<\/span> Vieira,<\/span> who<\/span> also<\/span> met<\/span> with<\/span> his<\/span> Russian<\/span> counterpart<\/span> earlier<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> day,<\/span> shot<\/span> back,<\/span> saying:<\/span>
\n<\/span>“I<\/span> don’t<\/span> know<\/span> how<\/span> or<\/span> why<\/span> he<\/span> reached<\/span> that<\/span> conclusion<\/span> but<\/span> I<\/span> do<\/span> not<\/span> agree<\/span> at<\/span> all.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Despite<\/span> Lula’s<\/span> comments<\/span> about<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> States,<\/span> the<\/span> 77-year-old,<\/span> who<\/span> returned<\/span> to<\/span> power<\/span> in<\/span> January<\/span> after<\/span> serving<\/span> two<\/span> terms<\/span> from<\/span> 2003<\/span> to<\/span> 2010,<\/span> is<\/span> also<\/span> seeking<\/span> closer<\/span> ties<\/span> with<\/span> Washington.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>His<\/span> visit<\/span> to<\/span> China<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> UAE,<\/span> postponed<\/span> by<\/span> a<\/span> bout<\/span> of<\/span> pneumonia,<\/span> came<\/span> after<\/span> a<\/span> White<\/span> House<\/span> meeting<\/span> in<\/span> February<\/span> with<\/span> US<\/span> President<\/span> Joe<\/span> Biden.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Lavrov<\/span> Latin<\/span> America<\/span> tour<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/span>Brazil<\/span> has<\/span> not<\/span> joined<\/span> Western<\/span> nations<\/span> in<\/span> imposing<\/span> sanctions<\/span> on<\/span> Russia<\/span> for<\/span> its<\/span> invasion,<\/span> and<\/span> has<\/span> refused<\/span> requests<\/span> to<\/span> supply<\/span> ammunition<\/span> to<\/span> Ukraine.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>After<\/span> meeting<\/span> with<\/span> his<\/span> Brazilian<\/span> counterpart<\/span> on<\/span> Monday,<\/span> Lavrov<\/span> said:<\/span>
\n<\/span>“We<\/span> are<\/span> grateful<\/span> to<\/span> our<\/span> Brazilian<\/span> friends<\/span> for<\/span> their<\/span> clear<\/span> understanding<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> genesis<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> situation<\/span> (in<\/span> Ukraine).<\/span> We<\/span> are<\/span> grateful<\/span> for<\/span> their<\/span> desire<\/span> to<\/span> contribute<\/span> to<\/span> finding<\/span> ways<\/span> of<\/span> settling<\/span> this<\/span> situation.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>“We<\/span> are<\/span> interested<\/span> in<\/span> resolving<\/span> the<\/span> conflict<\/span> as<\/span> soon<\/span> as<\/span> possible,”<\/span> Lavrov<\/span> said.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>But<\/span> he<\/span> added<\/span> that<\/span> any<\/span> solution<\/span> would<\/span> have<\/span> to<\/span> be<\/span> based<\/span> on<\/span> “multipolarity,”<\/span> accusing<\/span> the<\/span> West<\/span> of<\/span> “trying<\/span> to<\/span> dominate<\/span> the<\/span> international<\/span> arena.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Washington<\/span> doesn’t<\/span> have<\/span> “any<\/span> objection<\/span> to<\/span> any<\/span> country<\/span> that<\/span> wants<\/span> to<\/span> try<\/span> to<\/span> bring<\/span> an<\/span> end<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> war,”<\/span> Kirby<\/span> said.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>“That<\/span> could<\/span> happen<\/span> right<\/span> now,<\/span> today,<\/span> if<\/span> Mr<\/span> (Russian<\/span> President<\/span> Vladimir)<\/span> Putin<\/span> would<\/span> stop<\/span> attacking<\/span> Ukraine<\/span> and<\/span> pull<\/span> its<\/span> troops<\/span> out.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Lavrov’s<\/span> trip<\/span> to<\/span> Brazil<\/span> comes<\/span> after<\/span> Lula’s<\/span> top<\/span> foreign<\/span> policy<\/span> adviser,<\/span> Celso<\/span> Amorim,<\/span> met<\/span> with<\/span> Russian<\/span> President<\/span> Vladimir<\/span> Putin<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> Kremlin<\/span> in<\/span> March<\/span> to<\/span> discuss<\/span> opening<\/span> peace<\/span> talks.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Brazil<\/span> is<\/span> Lavrov’s<\/span> first<\/span> stop<\/span> on<\/span> a<\/span> weeklong<\/span> Latin<\/span> American<\/span> tour<\/span> that<\/span> will<\/span> also<\/span> include<\/span> Venezuela,<\/span> Nicaragua<\/span> and<\/span> Cuba<\/span> —<\/span> countries<\/span> whose<\/span> leftist<\/span> governments<\/span> have<\/span> hostile<\/span> relations<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> States.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Lavrov<\/span> and<\/span> Vieira<\/span> said<\/span> their<\/span> talks<\/span> had<\/span> also<\/span> focused<\/span> on<\/span> energy<\/span> and<\/span> trade.<\/span> About<\/span> a<\/span> quarter<\/span> of<\/span> Brazil’s<\/span> agricultural<\/span> powerhouse’s<\/span> fertilizer<\/span> imports<\/span> come<\/span> from<\/span> Russia,<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> two<\/span> countries<\/span> made<\/span> $9.8<\/span> billion<\/span> in<\/span> net<\/span> profits<\/span> from<\/span> bilateral<\/span> trade<\/span> last<\/span> year.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0BRASILIA (AFP)Lula has just returned from a trip to China and the United Arab Emirates, during which he sparked controversy in the West by accusing the US of “sponsoring the war” in Ukraine. He also said that the United States and Europe “must start talking about peace” and that in February 2022 Russian forces would […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6046,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":""},"categories":[2411,2480,2482,24,26,276,280,2400,2409],"tags":[156,158,177,475,875,933,1090,1228,1419,1768,4232,4233,4234,4235,76,77,154],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/129395572_mediaitem129395571.jpg","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6045"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6045"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6045\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6047,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6045\/revisions\/6047"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6046"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6045"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6045"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6045"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}