"For three years, Brazil has been seeking a peaceful solution to the war in Ukraine," says Lula.

247 - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva reiterated his support for a diplomatic agreement to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. The statement was made this Saturday (March 1st), during an interview with journalists in Montevideo, where he attended the inauguration of the new president of Uruguay, Yamandú Orsi.

"For three years, Brazil has been saying that it was necessary to find a solution through agreement. We made a proposal with China for the world to discuss the possibility of ending this war. For a long time, the European Union argued that it was necessary to talk only with (Volodymyr) Zelensky and not with (Vladimir) Putin. Now that (Donald) Trump has spoken with Putin, the European Union wants Zelensky to participate. I think there will be no peace without the participation of the two presidents who are in conflict," Lula stated.

The president also commented on the recent clash between Zelensky and the current president of the United States, which took place at the White House and had worldwide repercussions. "I'm not a diplomat, but I think we've never seen such a grotesque, disrespectful scene as what happened in the Oval Office of the White House. I think Zelensky was humiliated and that, in Trump's mind, he deserved it. The European Union was harmed by Zelensky's speech, and I told the president of Germany that it's quite possible that Europe will be responsible for the reconstruction of Ukraine, for maintaining NATO, and for the disaster that is happening," Lula emphasized.

Military spending and climate change

Lula criticized the high investments in armaments at the expense of environmental policies. "What is needed is to make the right decision if the world wants peace. If 2,3 trillion dollars were spent on weapons, when in fact they don't want to spend anything to keep the countries that have forests standing, keeping their forests alive. COP30 needs the rich countries, which no longer have forests, to help finance the countries that do. Only peace can bring normality to the world and allow us to live with prosperity and wealth distribution for our people," the president emphasized.

Relations with Uruguay and South American integration

Lula also highlighted the importance of strengthening Unasur and Mercosur. "The relationship between the countries is not ideological. My relationship with Uruguay is not personal with Yamandú. It's a state-to-state relationship. And we believe that the election of the Broad Front allowed us to return to discussing important things, such as strengthening Mercosur and rebuilding Unasur," he declared.

The president emphasized that South America needs to act as a bloc to have more relevance on the global stage. "There is no possibility of each country seeking individual solutions. The world is divided into blocs, and those who are more organized can achieve more. Look at the agreement we made with the European Union: it involves 800 million people and trillions of dollars. If this agreement succeeds, it will benefit all the countries of South America, Unasur, Mercosur, and the European Union," said Lula.

During his stay in Uruguay, Lula hosted a dinner at the Brazilian embassy, ​​bringing together Orsi and the presidents of Chile, Gabriel Boric, and Colombia, Gustavo Petro. Before returning to Brazil, he also met with former Uruguayan president José "Pepe" Mujica, whom he praised. "Whenever Mujica speaks, I have great respect for him, because he is above average among human beings," he stated.

During his last visit to Uruguay in December 2024, Lula awarded Mujica the National Order of the Southern Cross, the highest honor bestowed by Brazil upon foreign dignitaries.