Lula's Paris Press Conference: Worries Mount Over Russia-Ukraine War

Lula in Paris: Concerns over Ukraine War and UN's Role. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed serious concerns about the escalating conflict between Russia and Ukraine during a press conference in Paris on June 5th, 2025. He stated, "Now I'm worried. It seems there was an attack by Ukraine on an airport, I don't know where. Now I'm reading in the bulletin that Trump says he spoke with Putin, that Putin says he will retaliate against Ukraine." Lula criticized the UN's diminished political power, saying, "Unfortunately, the UN is politically weakened and has little power to give an opinion on the war, not only this one, but any other war that happens in the world." He also highlighted Brazil's consistent opposition to Russia's territorial occupation of Ukraine. Despite these concerns, Lula affirmed Brazil's commitment to peace, stating that when "both [Russia and Ukraine] want to negotiate peace, we will give our contribution." The press conference underscores the complexities of the conflict and the challenges faced by international organizations in mediating peace.