JAKARTA - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva drew criticism from the United States on Monday regarding his recent comments stating the West had "propelled" the war by arming Ukraine, but was praised by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for its proposal for peace talks.
Foreign Minister Lavrov, on a visit to Brasilia, met with President Lula and thanked Brazil for its efforts to resolve the conflict. However, a White House spokesman accused Lula of "copying Russian and Chinese propaganda regardless of the facts."
President Lula has placed himself as an intermediary for peace talks to end the Ukraine conflict, which began when Russia invaded neighboring countries in February 2022. The proposal is based on Brazil's non-interventional and open diplomacy traditions.
Foreign Minister Lavrov told reporters in Brasilia on Monday that Moscow was "thankful to our Brazilian friends for their clear understanding of the origin of the situation."
"We are grateful for their desire to contribute to finding ways to resolve this situation," Foreign Minister Lavrov said.
Earlier, President Lula angered many people in the West with his comments last weekend, calling on Western powers to stop providing weapons to war. The comments came shortly after he returned from China, where he discussed the matter with President Xi Jinping.
"The United States needs to stop pushing for war and start talking about peace," President Lula said on Saturday in remarks to reporters.
He also called on a group of countries that were not involved in the war to engage Russia and Ukraine in peace talks.
"But we also have to talk to the United States and the European Union. We have to convince people that peace is the way," President Lula continued.
Separately, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Monday President Lula's comments were "misguided" and missed the target, by "suggesting the United States and Europe somehow not interested in peace, or that we share responsibility for war."
So far among Western countries, only French President Emmanuel Macron has welcomed President Lula's peace initiative. The call for Brazilian leaders to stop arms supply to Ukraine was not well received among most diplomats.
"It sounded an alarm," said a European ambassador in Brasilia, adding that ending arms supplies to Ukraine was tantamount to favoring Russia.
"This is a war of aggression and defense. If they don't have weapons, Ukraine loses the right to defend itself," continued the diplomat who asked not to be named.
It is known that Kyiv, Washington and other allies said the ceasefire would now see Russia take control of the territory it seized by force, insisting Ukraine has the right to seek Western weapons to expel the invaders.
The European Union also rejected President Lula's suggestion that Ukraine and Russia should be blamed for the war. EU foreign affairs spokesman Peter Stano said all aid was aimed at Ukraine's "legitimate defense".
Earlier this year, President Lula refused to supply ammunition to Ukraine, as reported by Germany.
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