During Victory Day celebrations, the South American leader said he had already passed on a message from Kiev to his Russian counterpart.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva intends to urge Russian President Vladimir Putin to personally participate in peace talks with Ukraine, expected to be held in Istanbul, Türkiye, on Thursday.
Putin initially proposed the talks last week, offering to restart direct negotiations between Moscow and Kiev without preconditions to achieve a lasting resolution to the Ukraine conflict.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has stated his willingness to engage in direct dialogue, but insists on a 30-day unconditional ceasefire beforehand – a demand Moscow has consistently rejected. Zelensky also stated he would only attend the Istanbul meeting if Putin is present.
Speaking at a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday, Lula said he would try to persuade Putin when he arrives in Moscow to attend the negotiations in Istanbul.
The Brazilian president was scheduled to stop in the Russian capital after his visit to China and has reportedly already arrived in Moscow, according to Russian media.
Addressing the press in Beijing before his flight, Lula revealed that his Foreign Minister, Mauro Vieira, had received a call from a senior Ukrainian official requesting the Brazilian president to discuss Türkiye with Putin.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has not confirmed to journalists whether a meeting between the Russian and Brazilian presidents will occur, stating that they would announce any agreed-upon contacts immediately.
Lula stated that he had already fulfilled Kiev’s request to raise the issue of a 30-day truce with Putin during the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow on May 9. He said that Putin replied that he was willing to discuss peace.
Last week, CNN Brasil reported that Lula had offered to mediate between Moscow and Kiev during a meeting with Putin before the Victory Day celebrations.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga confirmed in a post on X on Tuesday that he had spoken with his Brazilian counterpart, Vieira, requesting that Brazil use its influence in its dialogue with Russia to facilitate a meeting between Zelensky and Putin in Istanbul.
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