Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov thanked Brazil on Monday for its efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine before his meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Lavrov and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira discussed plans to increase meat exports to Russia and secure fertilizer imports for Brazilian farmers.
Lula stated that "the United States must stop encouraging war and start talking about peace." He affirmed, "We are trying to form a group of countries that have no role in the war, do not want war, and advocate for world peace to discuss the matter with Russia and Ukraine," emphasizing that "we need to talk with the United States and the European Union."
In this context, Republican Chairman Michael McCaul of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee described Lula's statements as "wrong and reckless." He stated, "Putin, and Putin alone, is responsible for an unprovoked aggressive war against Ukraine."
Previous reports indicated that Germany had requested Brazil to supply weapons to Ukraine, but Lula rejected the request.
