Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the joint initiative by Brazil and China to present a peace proposal for the war in his country, stating that it is not a concrete plan and “hides something.” PLATAFORMA sought to understand what this plan entails and whether Zelensky’s words have a specific target. Experts believe China is the main recipient of the President’s remarks.
First of all, the plan was announced last May during a visit to Beijing by the international advisor to President Lula da Silva, Celso Amorim, and was signed by Amorim and Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister. The document outlines six points for peace in Ukraine, which has been under Russian invasion for more than two years. These include the organization of a conference recognized by both Russia and Ukraine, the creation of security zones, a mechanism for the exchange of prisoners, and the rejection of the use of weapons of mass destruction and attacks on nuclear power plants.
This is the plan, and Beijing and Brasília will organize a meeting with 19 countries to discuss it this Saturday, after the UN General Assembly in New York.
“I don’t believe this is a concrete plan because I don’t see specific actions or steps, only a certain generalization of procedures. A generalization always hides something,” were Zelensky’s words.
So, is this a plan that isn’t really a plan? No, says political science professor Felisbelo Luzerna from the University of São Paulo.
“It’s a plan like many others, with good ideas and others that need to be discussed not only among the countries invited to the talks but also with Ukraine and Russia. The good thing is that there is a plan, which is a great and positive sign,” the professor explained before analyzing Zelensky’s speech in detail.
“It’s a message for China, a plea for help to someone who has good relations with Russia. Saying it ‘hides something’ is saying they want to be present at the discussion of the plan and fear it will be discussed with Russia without them being involved. That’s how I interpret these words, given that when the plan was first mentioned, Zelensky’s speech was initially optimistic,” he noted.
It’s worth mentioning that the European Union and the United States had already criticized the Sino-Brazilian plan, considering that it could reward Russia.
“At the time, the concern was that Russia could keep the annexed territories, but I think those were empty words from both the United States and the European Union. There’s a plan on the table, and it needs to be discussed without fear, to avoid perpetuating this conflict. Ukraine still views China as an ally of Russia, and that will only change if China truly helps to end the conflict,” Luzerna added, before discussing the role of the U.S.
“It’s also ironic that next week, after this summit, Zelensky will fly to the United States to meet with Joe Biden. The U.S. will likely convey their stance on Brazil’s and especially China’s plan. Efforts need to be made to resolve the conflict, and that won’t happen with so many behind-the-scenes maneuvers,” he concluded.
More Weapons
Zelensky intends to present Biden with his victory plan during the visit, according to reports from Ukraine. And that plan involves… weapons.
During the meeting, the Ukrainian president is expected to request more ammunition and arms for his armed forces. He also plans to meet with the two U.S. presidential candidates: Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris.
It’s worth noting that Ukrainians have been pressuring their Western allies for months, but the U.S. and countries like the United Kingdom are hesitant to allow their weapons to be used against targets in Russia.
