Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky takes aim at China, Brazil push for peace in Ukraine

By Michelle Nichols, Reuters

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday dismissed efforts by China and Brazil to end Russia's war in Ukraine, questioning why the pair were proposing an alternative to his own peace formula and warning: "You will not boost your power at Ukraine's expense."

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Nine months later Zelensky announced a 10-point peace plan to bring a just end to the war on the basis of the founding UN Charter and international law. Moscow rejected the plan.

"The peace formula has already existed for two years, and maybe somebody wants a Nobel Prize for their political biography, for (a) frozen truce, instead of real peace, but the only prizes Putin will give you in return are more suffering and disasters," Zelensky told the United Nations General Assembly, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Zelensky said proposing "alternatives, half-hearted settlement plans, so-called sets of principles" would give Putin the political space to continue the war.

China has been trying to enlist developing nations to join the six-point peace plan it issued with Brazil in May.

Their proposal calls for an international peace conference "held at a proper time that is recognized by both Russia and Ukraine, with equal participation of all parties as well as fair discussion of all peace plans."

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva advocated for the plan when he addressed the General Assembly on Tuesday.

"Any parallel or alternative attempts to seek peace are, in fact, efforts to achieve a lull instead of an end to the war," Zelensky told the 193-member assembly.

"When the Chinese-Brazilian duo tries to grow into a choir of voices - with someone in Europe, with someone in Africa - saying something alternative to a full and just peace, the question arises, what is the true interest? Everyone must understand, you will not boost your power at Ukraine's expense," he said.

The Ukrainian president plans to lay out a "victory plan" to US President Joe Biden at the White House on Thursday.

- Reuters