Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on the sidelines of COP31 in Antalya, Turkey, on Wednesday, Nov. 11. (Foto: Instagram)
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Wednesday, Nov. 11, on the sidelines of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP31, in Antalya, Turkey. Sybiha urged Brazil to take a more active role in international efforts to secure peace in Eastern Europe. He also congratulated Lula on his re-election and conveyed well wishes from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In a social media post, Sybiha said Brazil’s voice matters in global affairs and called for the country’s participation in peace efforts and support for the principles of the United Nations Charter. He said Ukraine was seeking a lasting peace and reaffirmed his government’s willingness to expand mutually beneficial cooperation with Brazil. Sybiha also renewed an invitation for Lula to visit Ukraine.
The Ukrainian foreign minister additionally met with Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and Celso Amorim, a chief adviser to the Brazilian presidency. Sybiha said their discussions covered relations between the two countries, international cooperation and diplomatic efforts for peace. The meetings came as the Brazilian and Ukrainian governments seek closer diplomatic engagement.
In October, after Lula won the second round of Brazil’s presidential election, Zelensky congratulated him and expressed interest in broadening cooperation between the countries. Zelensky thanked Brazil for supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and said Brazil should remain active in international affairs, including in efforts to protect human rights and the rights of states.
Lula and Zelensky also held a bilateral meeting lasting about 50 minutes during the Group of Seven summit in France in June. Afterward, Lula called it his best meeting with the Ukrainian leader and said he had sensed a willingness to discuss a ceasefire. Zelensky asked Lula to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an effort to bring him back toward negotiations.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Since then, diplomatic initiatives have sought conditions for halting the fighting and reaching a lasting truce.
