President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT) who arrived in Russia on Thursday (8) at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin to participate in the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of Victory Day. The visit has been the target of criticism from Kiev representatives for considering the official visit a support show for Russia, which is at war with Ukraine.
The last time a Brazilian president, in the Jair Bolsonaro case, was in Russia, Putin was about to invade the Ukrainian territory.
After three years, the Brazilian head of state has changed, but the war continues, and President Lula visits Moscow at a especially delicate moment.
Vladimir Putin announced last week a unilateral ceasefire of three days, between May 8 and 10, but Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky refused the proposal, which he called “theatrical performance.”
Zelensky stressed that he is committed to the truce, but insists that the duration should be at least one month. He said Ukraine will not “play to create a pleasant atmosphere that allows Putin to depart from isolation on May 9”.
Kremlin hopes to host 29 heads of state in Moscow, including Presidents Lula and Xi Jinping from China.
In addition to demonstrating strength with the parade of troops, military vehicles and weapons systems, Russia seeks to show that it is not isolated, despite the efforts of the Ukrainian allies in this regard.
The Russian President should also take advantage of the presence of Xi Jinping, described as his “main guest” to further strengthen the relationship between Russia and China.
The partnership, which has been narrowed since the beginning of the war, is critical for Moscow to circumvent the sanctions of the United States and Europe, with the sale of Russian oil and gas to Beijing.
Putin and Xi Jinping must demonstrate union as both are under pressure from US President Donald Trump. The first, by the end of the conflict in Ukraine. The second, by the tariff war that shakes the global economy.
In this context, President Lula seeks to signal the independence of Brazilian foreign policy with a visit to Russia and then to China. But experts heard by CNN warn that Ida Moscow can reinforce the alignment with Putin and damage the image of Brazil as an advocate of international law.
Remember how Bolsonaro’s visit was Putin
When former President Jair Bolsonaro decided to visit Vladimir Putin, in February 2022, The criticism came from the United States, at the time the country was ruled by Joe Biden, ally near Volodymyr Zelensky.
At that moment, Russia positioned troops on the border with Ukraine, which would be invaded a week later.
“In that context, the Bolsonaro government was widely isolated internationally and sought any possibility of achieving some kind of dialogue with other countries, even with Russia at a very critical time,” explained FGV international relations professor Pedro Brites.
“There was also the ideological question, alignment with Russia,” he added.
Even with the imminent conflict, Bolsonaro said alongside Putin that he “sympathized with Russia.”
“The moment when the president of Brazil has sympathized with Russia, when the Russian forces prepare to launch attacks on Ukrainian cities, it could not have been worse,” he told the CNN A spokesman for the State Department.
“This undermines international diplomacy designed to avoid a strategic and humanitarian disaster, as well as Brazil’s own appeals for a peaceful solution to the crisis,” he said.
At the time, the International Analyst of CNN Lourival Sant’Anna stated that the world would see this solidarity as “Brazil’s support for the invasion or military intimidation to Ukraine.”
Now the moment is different, and Lula seeks to position himself in the face of the dispute between the great powers, reinforcing his bet on the Brics and the Global South.
“Of course, Russia’s aggression and the violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty is undisputed, but Brazil’s effort to strengthen its positions on the international scene is very supported in the global south and these countries (Latin American, Africans, Asians) have no discourse as critical to Russia as the West,” says Brites.
“Considering that the Brazilian government sees these countries as priorities, including Russia, Lula’s visit to Moscow is a signal that Brazil is willing to dialogue, to mediate and not isolated,”
Pedro Brites concludes, referring to the Lula government’s intention to put himself as a point of contact between the south and the global North.
What to expect from Lula in Russia
In Moscow, the expectation is that Lula defends in conversation with Vladimir Putin the credentials of Brazil to mediate the conflict in Ukraine.
The Brazilian government prepared in partnership with China last year a peace plan, which was considered “balanced” by Putinbut faced resistance from Ukraine.
The idea was to establish the ceasefire, increase humanitarian aid to both sides and create a “peace club” to discuss conflict resolution. The initiative, however, did not provide for the removal of Russian troops from the Ukrainian territory.
With about 20% of Ukraine occupied by Russia, the territorial issue is considered one of the main obstacles to the end of the conflict. Peace efforts still bump into Vladimir Putin’s resistance to accepting the lasting ceasefire while in a position.
With Trump, USA enter the game
Under Donald Trump, the United States resumed negotiations with Russians and Ukrainians in separate conversations.
Ukraine agreed with the ceasefire of a month and signed the agreement for the sharing of minerals and rare lands with the US in exchange for investments for the country’s reconstruction.
Putin, in turn, stated that he supported the ceasefire, but there were “questions to discuss” and the pause was never actually implemented.
In a proposal presented last month, Trump’s government suggested recognizing the annexation of Crimea and Russian rule in the regions of Luhansk, Zaporizehzia, Donetsk and Kherson.
Although admitting that Ukraine has no military strength to recover Crimea, captured in 2014, President Volodymyr Zelensky refuses to legitimize the illegal attachment of the peninsula.
Kiev argues that the international community should maintain economic and diplomatic pressure on Moscow to ensure ceasefire, which would be the first step in resolving territorial issues.
Faced with the impasse, the US leader accused Zelensky of prolonging the war and his government threatened to abandon efforts to peace.
Vice President JD Vance said last week that the deal would now fit the Russians and Ukrainians and exalted Trump’s skills as negotiator, but admitted that the war should not end “not so soon.”
This content was originally published on a visit to Putin in the past has already surrendered criticism of Brazil; Remember on the CNN Brazil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
