Zelensky: I don't support Brazilian president's neutral position in Russia's war against Ukraine, we need support
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Brazilian television channel Globo that he does not support the neutral position of his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro in the war of Russia against Ukraine, adding that Ukraine needs support.
"Yesterday I had a conversation with the president of Brazil. […] He told me that he supports Ukraine, its sovereignty and territorial integrity. I really want to believe that it will be so. He told me that Brazil is pained at everything that is going on in Ukraine, however, his position is neutral," the head of state said in the interview, which has been made public on Wednesday.
Zelensky stressed that he does not support such position of the Brazilian leader and recalled as an example the neutrality of a range of European countries during World War II, which ended up with the takeover of the entire Europe by Hitler's army.
"I do not think that one should be neutral during a war in the world. World War II: the neutrality gave the Nazi an opportunity to swallow a half of Europe and later to take over the whole Europe. One must not stay somewhere in the middle and say – I am ready to be a mediator. Where? In the war? Between whom? Russia is fighting against the Ukrainian people. They are in our territory. Eight years ago they occupied a part of our territory. There were many people who wanted to be mediators or to be neutral. This allowed Russia in 2014 to start the second wave of seizure of the Ukrainian territory. That's what neutrality is," he said.
During the conversation Zelensky told Bolsonaro that he counts on his support.
"We want support from Brazil. If tomorrow, heaven forbid, someone attacks you, we will not be neutral for sure. No matter what kind of relations history we have with Brazil – if someone violates your sovereignty or, heaven forbid, kills your people, how can I say that I am neutral? I have no right to do so. The neutrality gives [Russian President Vladimir] Putin a chance to think that he is not alone in this world. That's all we want," Zelensky said.
