Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro says he has figured out how to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but he won’t share his plan with anyone until he pitches it to Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky next week.
“I'll tell him my opinion, what I think,” he told reporters on Thursday. “The solution to this, I know how it could be resolved, but I won't tell anyone.”
The Brazilian leader is scheduled to speak with Zelensky by phone on Monday. “This war has been causing huge disruption, less for Brazil, much more for Europe,” Bolsonaro said.
He declined to offer details of his proposed peace plan, but said the conflict could be resolved “like how Argentina’s war with the UK ended in 1982.” Argentina invaded the British-controlled Falkland Islands in April 1982, prompting the UK to dispatch a large naval task force. The Argentinian forces were outmatched, and Buenos Aires surrendered in June 1982.
Bolsonaro raised the ire of US President Joe Biden and other critics in February, when he went through with a planned trip to Moscow just days before Russia launched its offensive against Ukraine. He adopted a neutral stance on the conflict and declined to join in a US-led attempt to isolate and cripple Moscow through international sanctions.
Just last week, Brazil secured a steady supply of fertilizers from Russia. Bolsonaro said his country might also buy low-cost Russian diesel cargoes.