Brazil’s President Lula da Silva Seeks Pushes for Direct Peace Talks Between Zelenskyy and Putin in Turkey
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is undertaking a diplomatic initiative to bring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table, with Istanbul proposed as the venue for direct talks.
The Gaze reports on this with reference to Newsweek.
During a press conference in Beijing, Lula announced he would stop in Moscow on his way back to Brazil and attempt to personally convince Putin to participate. “It costs me nothing to say, “Comrade Putin, go to Istanbul and negotiate, for God’s sake,” he remarked.
Lula’s remarks come amid rising diplomatic activity. In a joint statement released with China, Brazil welcomed Putin’s recent expressions of interest in dialogue, declaring direct negotiations as “the only viable path” to a peaceful resolution.
Ukraine, meanwhile, has actively encouraged Brazil’s involvement. Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha disclosed that he held talks with Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira earlier this week, calling on Brazil to support a proposed 30-day ceasefire and to pressure Moscow toward high-level engagement.
“I urged Brazil to use its influential voice in Moscow to help ensure the meeting between President Zelenskyy and President Putin in Istanbul takes place,” Sybiha stated. “We see Brazil as a key player capable of facilitating a breakthrough.”
President Zelenskyy is scheduled to arrive in Turkey on May 15 and has expressed readiness for direct negotiations with Putin. While the Kremlin has yet to confirm Putin’s participation, Russian officials said that details about the Russian delegation would be disclosed only after Putin’s final decision.
Brazil’s involvement, particularly Lula’s personal diplomacy, signals a potential turning point. With close ties to both Moscow and key non-Western actors, Brazil is uniquely positioned to facilitate dialogue.
As The Gaze reported earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed his readiness to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Istanbul on May 15.