Lula says Zelensky ‘more willing to talk’ as he revives Brazil-China peace plan

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Wednesday said he saw new signs that both Kyiv and Moscow may be edging towards negotiations to end the three-year war in Ukraine, reviving his joint peace push with China and urging the United Nations to take a central role.

Speaking to reporters at the UN headquarters after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Lula said he believed both sides now understood the limits of their battlefield ambitions.

“I felt Zelensky was much more willing to talk than in previous meetings,” he said. “The same goes for Putin. Perhaps neither is ready to say what they can or cannot give up, but I think both already know the limits of negotiation.”

After the meeting, Lula said both sides now appeared to understand the limits of their battlefield ambitions. Photo: Handout

The remarks echo a peace plan Brazil first advanced with China in May 2024, calling for a group of UN “friends for peace” to mediate between the warring sides. The initiative has since been promoted at the General Assembly and in smaller multilateral gatherings, though it has drawn scepticism from Kyiv and its Western allies, who argue it risks cementing Russian territorial gains.

Lula stressed the importance of the UN taking charge, saying he wanted the organisation to regain its role and act as the spokesperson for all member states in the negotiations.

He recalled that he had urged Secretary General Antonio Guterres last year to form such a contact group but was told the UN chief lacked authorisation. “That proposal still stands, and I told Zelensky today,” he added.

The push comes amid shifting diplomatic winds. China and Brazil jointly endorsed a US-led ceasefire initiative at the Security Council in March, a rare alignment with Washington that underscored what Brazilian diplomats described as a “potential turning point”.

Beijing and Brasília had hosted meetings on the sidelines of the UN in the past to build support for their six-point plan, which included humanitarian access, prisoner exchanges and protection of civilians. While Russia signalled openness, Ukraine dismissed the effort as “destructive”.

South China Morning Post