During his address at the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Tuesday, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro called for an “immediate ceasefire” in the Russia-Ukraine war and stressed that economic sanctions stand in the way of finding a “sustainable solution” to the seven-month-long war.
Bolsonaro reaffirmed that Brazil’s stance on the conflict is guided by the principles of international law and the UN Charter and denounced the “diplomatic and economic isolation” of Russia. He noted that Brazil has tried to “avoid the hampering of dialogue channels caused by the polarisation around the conflict.”
He asserted that the Ukraine war serves as a “warning” to the international community that “stability, security, and prosperity of humankind are at serious risk if the conflict continues or spreads.”
To this end, urged an immediate ceasefire and an end to “unilateral and selective sanctions that are inconsistent with international law” as the first step toward a “long-lasting” solution.
Bolsonaro said the Russia-Ukraine war brought a “good opportunity” for Brazil to legalize exploitation of mineral and water resources on indigenous lands. This would threaten communities that have been fighting for centuries against the genocide of their people. pic.twitter.com/mcROrbxI9g
— Nathália Urban (@UrbanNathalia) March 7, 2022
Bolsonaro argued that Western sanctions have “harmed the economic recovery and threatened human rights of vulnerable populations” and forced the world to turn to “dirty sources of energy.” He pointed out that the prolonged conflict has caused a severe food and energy crisis across the globe and delivered a “serious setback” to sustainable development goals.
Furthermore, he demanded a reform of the UN Security Council to enable “innovative solutions” to maintain world peace. Brazil, along with various other countries, including India and South Africa, has long campaigned for a permanent seat at the UNSC to make the body more representative and accountable.
Brazil's Bolsonaro on Russia-Ukraine war:
— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) February 27, 2022
– Brazil will keep a neutral position
– Russia has no intention of carrying out any massacres
– Some regions of Ukraine "90% of people want to get closer to Russia"
– Ukrainians "entrusted fate of the nation to a comedian [Zelenskyy]" pic.twitter.com/vuZLVQJ5BB
Bolsonaro’s calls for a bilateral ceasefire as a “sustainable solution” to the war mark a turnaround from his conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in July, during which he suggested a “Falklands-like solution” to the ongoing conflict, referring to Argentina’s surrender to the United Kingdom in the 1982 war. Bolsonaro told Zelensky: “We regret it, the truth is that these things hurt, but one has to understand.”
Moreover, a week before the Kremlin invaded Ukraine in February, Bolsonaro went against the United States’ warnings and landed in Moscow to meet Putin, while the two countries’ foreign and defence ministers held a 2+2 dialogue to discuss trade, energy, and military cooperation.
UN Security Council voting on resolution demanding ceasefire in #Ukraine
— Majeed Gly (@MajeedGly) February 25, 2022
Yes:
- US
- UK
- France
- Norway
- Ireland
- Albania
- Gabon
- Mexico
- Brazil
- Ghana
- Kenya
No:
- Russia
Abstained:
- China
- India
- UAE
Result: resolution failed due to Russian veto.
Ever since, he has maintained cordial ties with Moscow and stepped up efforts to import “record amounts” of fertilisers and fuel, despite war-induced disruptions. In June, Putin assured Bolsonaro of no further disruptions to fertiliser exports. A month later, Brazil struck a deal to import Russian diesel.
Brazil has also been reluctant to condemn Russia in international fora. For instance, it abstained from voting on a resolution that sought to suspend Russia from the United Nations Human Rights Council, with Brazilian diplomats calling for an “independent inquiry” into the Bucha civilian massacre before taking the “drastic decision” of suspending Russia. Similarly, it continues to back Russia to prevent its expulsion from international fora including the World Bank, G20, and the International Monetary Fund.