KYIV — Ukraine has accepted a proposal by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to pursue new diplomatic efforts aimed at advancing peace negotiations with Russia, a senior Ukrainian presidential adviser said on Friday, marking a shift in Kyiv’s engagement with Brazil’s mediation initiatives.
The development follows a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Lula on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, earlier this week. According to Ukrainian presidential communications adviser Dmytro Lytvyn, the two leaders discussed ways to revive diplomatic contacts after months of stalled peace efforts.
Lytvyn said Lula proposed several ideas, including renewed engagement with the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States — in an effort to create conditions for future negotiations. “They agreed that, in particular, based on such ideas and contacts, they would try to achieve something and later they would discuss it based on the results,” Lytvyn told reporters.
The announcement comes as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have faced repeated setbacks. A U.S.-backed mediation initiative earlier this year stalled amid disagreements over territorial issues and other conditions proposed by Moscow, according to Ukrainian officials. Kyiv has continued to reject any settlement requiring additional territorial concessions.
Lula has long advocated a greater role for countries outside the main Western alliance in efforts to resolve the conflict. Following his meeting with Zelenskiy, the Brazilian president said the Ukrainian leader had previously shown little interest in Brazil’s diplomatic proposals but was now willing to explore them. Lula added that he intended to renew contacts with leaders of the Security Council’s permanent members in support of peace efforts.
Brazil’s government said earlier this week that Lula and Zelenskiy discussed the current state of the conflict, possibilities for a ceasefire and prospects for a diplomatic solution. According to statements released after the meeting, both leaders agreed to maintain contact in the coming weeks.
Zelenskiy has recently intensified calls for international support for renewed negotiations while continuing to seek stronger pressure on Russia. European leaders including those of Britain, France and Germany have also endorsed efforts to pursue a diplomatic resolution, while emphasizing that any settlement must involve Ukraine directly.
As of Friday, neither Ukraine nor Brazil had released a detailed framework for the proposed diplomatic initiative. Officials from both countries said discussions would continue, while details regarding any future negotiations or formal peace process remained unclear.
