Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has reaffirmed his country’s neutrality in the Ukraine conflict by rejecting a request from Germany to supply arms to Kyiv. Speaking at a joint media conference with Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, Lula made it clear that Brazil will not contribute to the escalation of hostilities.
“I told my friend Olaf Scholz: ‘I will not sell weapons to kill a Russian, to kill anyone. So, I want to apologize, but Brazil will not sell the weapons you need because I want peace, and if I want peace, I cannot fuel the war. We want peace between Russia and Ukraine. Now, this is only possible if both are at the negotiating table,’” Lula stated.
The words of the Brazilian leader reflect his government’s strong adherence to diplomacy rather than military involvement. His position is in accordance with Brazil’s long-standing policy of non-participation in global military conflicts rather than promoting peace through negotiations.
The appeal from Germany comes after Berlin reaffirmed its commitment to Ukraine, having provided billions of dollars worth of military supplies since the start of the war. In January 2023, while on a visit to Brazil last year, previous chancellor Scholz attempted to convince Lula to offer military aid, including cannons for use in Kyiv’s war. Lula, however, had turned down this offer before and has now repeated his stance.
Lula has been a staunch supporter of diplomatic negotiation to solve the crisis in Ukraine. Last May, China and Brazil jointly made a six-point proposal promoting negotiations as the only possible way forward. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky brushed off the idea as “just a political statement,” accusing China and Brazil of taking Russia’s side. In rebuttal, Lula blasted Ukraine for waiting too long before thinking about diplomacy. “Those who wish to speak with us today could have spoken with us before the war broke out,” he stated.
The issue of peace negotiations remains a focal point in Brazil’s diplomatic efforts. On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira discussed the root causes of the Ukraine conflict and recent Russian-U.S. talks in Riyadh. The discussions, held on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Johannesburg, also covered future high-level engagements and cooperation between Moscow and Brasília, particularly within the BRICS alliance.
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Adding to the strengthening of relations between Brazil and Russia, Lula has recently accepted an invitation from Moscow to participate in the 80th anniversary events of Victory in World War II on May 9. The action is likely to consolidate Brazil’s strategic alliances while keeping it firmly in the position of neutrality.
As the war in Ukraine rages on, Lula’s strategy is always the same: staying away from military entanglements while promoting diplomatic solutions. His refusal to heed Scholz’s appeal reflects Brazil’s independent foreign policy and its dedication to peace, even as Western allies increasingly pressure it to be more engaged in military assistance to Ukraine.
