Lula Presses Putin to Join Istanbul Peace Talks

(MENAFN) Brazilian Leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has expressed his intention to encourage Russian President Vladimir Putin to take part directly in upcoming peace discussions regarding the Ukraine crisis.

These negotiations are anticipated to occur in Istanbul, Türkiye, on Thursday.

The dialogue initiative was first put forward by Putin last week, who proposed restarting face-to-face talks between Moscow and Kiev without any initial conditions, aiming for a permanent resolution to the ongoing conflict.

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has signaled willingness to participate in direct discussions, but on the condition of a mandatory 30-day ceasefire, without exceptions — a stipulation that Moscow has consistently declined.

Zelensky has also stated that he will only attend the Istanbul summit if Putin is physically present at the negotiating table.

During a media briefing in Beijing on Wednesday, Lula remarked, “when I get to Moscow, I’m going to try to talk with Putin.

It doesn’t cost me anything to say: ‘Hey, comrade Putin, go to Istanbul to negotiate, damn it’.”

The Brazilian head of state was scheduled to make a stop in Moscow following his official trip to China, and Russian news outlets reported that he had already arrived in the Russian capital.

In the same press conference held in Beijing just hours before his departure, Lula disclosed that his foreign affairs minister, Mauro Vieira, had received a call from a high-ranking Ukrainian representative.

The caller inquired whether the Brazilian president would be willing to “talk with Putin about Türkiye,” potentially to encourage the Russian leader's attendance at the peace talks.

MENAFN15052025000045017167ID1109553173