Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on the sidelines of COP31 in Antalya, Turkey, as the two countries discussed diplomacy and peace efforts. (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 congratulated Lula on his reelection and conveyed greetings and best wishes from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The meeting took place as the two governments seek closer diplomatic ties.
Sybiha called for Brazil to take a more active role in international efforts to achieve peace in Eastern Europe. In a social media post, he said Brazil’s voice mattered in global affairs and urged the country to support peace initiatives, the principles of the United Nations Charter and the pursuit of lasting peace for Ukraine. His appeal included a call for Brazil to be involved in efforts to find a solution to the war.
The Ukrainian foreign minister also renewed an invitation for Lula to visit Ukraine and said Kyiv was willing to expand mutually beneficial cooperation with Brazil. Sybiha separately met with Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and Celso Amorim, the president’s chief adviser. According to Sybiha, their conversations addressed bilateral relations, international cooperation and diplomatic efforts for peace.
The contact comes amid efforts to strengthen ties between Brazil and Ukraine. 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 also thanked Brazil for supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and said Brazil should remain active in international affairs and contribute to protecting human rights and the rights of states.
Lula and Zelensky held a bilateral meeting lasting about 50 minutes in June during the Group of Seven summit in France. Afterward, Lula described it as his best meeting with the Ukrainian leader and said he had sensed a willingness to discuss a ceasefire. Zelensky asked Lula at the time to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an effort to bring him back toward negotiations.
The war between Russia and Ukraine began in February 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukrainian territory. Since then, diplomatic efforts have sought conditions to halt the fighting and establish a lasting truce. Sybiha’s request for a more active Brazilian role and his renewed invitation to Lula came as part of the discussions about peace efforts and cooperation between the two countries.
