Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, leader of President Vladimir Putin, arrived in Brasilia this Monday for a meeting with Brazilian President Lula da Silva. The meeting comes at a time when Western governments and diplomats are surprised, embarrassed and annoyed by statements made by Lula during his recent visit to China, where he lashed out at the US, the European Union and Ukraine.
The meeting between Lula and Lavrov this Monday was not on the official agenda of the President of Brazil, who was in the official residence of the Palacio da Alvorada this morning, resting after a long trip to Asia, nor on the agenda of the Russian minister. , but sources close to the Brazilian government took it for granted. According to these sources, the meeting between Lula and Lavrov should take place at the residence of the President of Brazil, Alvorada Palace, around 15:00 local time, 19:00 Lisbon or later, but still this Monday.
Before meeting with Lula, Lavrov was received by Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira at the headquarters of Brazilian diplomacy in the Itamaraty Palace. The meeting discussed diplomatic and trade relations between the two countries, as well as, mainly, the war in Ukraine, which was captured by Russian troops on February 24 last year.
During his visit to China and the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, Lula da Silva accused Ukraine of being as guilty of the invasion it suffered as Russia itself, which invaded, surprising and angering many governments. Lula also criticized the United States and the European Union, saying they are responsible for the fact that the war is not over yet, supplying Ukraine with weapons and persecuting Russia.
Lula tried, so far unsuccessfully, to put himself in the position of a world leader capable of ending the conflict in Ukraine, and proposed the creation of a group of neutral countries to mediate a peace settlement. But in fact, at least in recent days, and despite advice from advisers to be more moderate, Lula has shown no neutrality at all and has made statements clearly in favor of Russia and China, the Russians’ ally in the conflict.