Dubai: A call between President Vladimir Putin and his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Friday, shortly after Sergei Lavrov had welcomed a Chinese peace envoy to Moscow, was reported by the Kremlin as saying that Russia was willing to discuss Ukraine.
Russia has frequently stated that it is willing to resume peace negotiations with Kiev, which came to a standstill a few months after its invasion of Ukraine early last year. It has also expressed support for mediation efforts from both Brazil and China.
However, it has insisted that any negotiations must be based on "new realities," which means its declared annexation of four Ukrainian provinces that it controls largely or in part — a demand that Kyiv rejects.
Less than three weeks prior to the invasion, China signed a "no limits" partnership with Russia. Since the war began, China has significantly increased its imports of Russian energy while also refraining from criticising Moscow.
It has proposed a 12-point peace plan for Ukraine that calls for the declaration of a cease-fire but does not demand that Russia leave any of the territory it has annexed.
According to his ministry, Lavrov thanked China for its "balanced position" and willingness to take on a constructive role during his meeting with Li. The Chinese proposal has received criticism from the West, with NATO claiming Beijing lacks credibility as a mediator despite its president, Xi Jinping, making a high-profile state visit to Moscow in March.
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In keeping with Brazil's tradition of non-intervention and neutrality, Lula has also positioned himself as a peace broker and suggested that a group of countries not involved in the conflict should engage both Russia and Ukraine in negotiations.
He tweeted, "I reiterated Brazil's willingness to talk to both sides of the conflict in pursuit of peace, along with India, Indonesia, and China. Although Lula has denounced the invasion, he last month suggested that the West had been "encouraging" war by arming Ukraine, which infuriated Washington and pleased Moscow.
Despite finding time to speak with a variety of other national leaders, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not get to meet Lula when both men attended a Group of Seven summit in Japan last weekend.
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Dmitry Medvedev, a hawkish senior ally of Putin's who chairs the Russian Security Council, was quoted as saying on Friday that Russia could not trust any cease-fire with Ukraine and would therefore have to overthrow the "very nature" of power in Kyiv.