Lula Interview on Ukraine, Bolsonaro, and Brazil's Future
TimeMay 04, 2022
During a visit from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Brazilian Pres. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Monday rejected Berlin's reported request to supply Ukraine with ammunition for the German Gepard air defense system.
At a joint press conference, Lula stated that Russia had made a "classic mistake" by invading Ukrainian territory and claimed neither side was showing sufficient commitment to peace negotiations. Brazil, he added, is taking a neutral stance, cooperating with other countries to end the conflict.
Lula is expressing what much of the Global South is thinking, which is that the West's narrative about the Ukraine war is distorted. Yes, it is Russia that invaded Ukraine, but the conflict has more than one culprit. If the West really had an interest in peace, it would have taken Russia's security interests seriously. The only way to end the Ukraine conflict is through negotiations, but the West and Zelenskyy have chosen to pour oil on the fire.
While Scholz was promoting support for Ukraine on his South American trip, Lula served as a mouthpiece for Russian propaganda by claiming that Kyiv and the West are as much to blame for the Ukraine war as Russia. It may be justified to criticize the West for its selective condemnation of injustice, but defending an imperialist and dictator like Putin is beyond the pale. By his stance, Lula has lost all moral credibility.