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Russia-less Ukraine summits do not aim for real peace — Lula da Silva

"There are two countries at war, so if you want peace, you have to bring both sides to the negotiating table," the Brazilian president stressed

RIO DE JANEIRO, June 14. /TASS/. Meetings held on the Ukrainian conflict settlement that do not include Russia are not oriented toward genuine peace, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said.

"I sent a letter to the president that Brazil will not participate in a summit where only one side is represented. There are two countries at war, so if you want peace, you have to bring both sides to the negotiating table," he said in a conversation with reporters broadcast on the government's YouTube channel. "But you only invite one side. <...> You don't really want peace," the president added.

On May 17, the CNN Brasil TV channel reported that Lula da Silva had decided not to participate in the conference on Ukraine scheduled for June 15-16 in Switzerland's Burgenstock. The O Globo newspaper later reported that the Brazilian leader had decided not to send senior government representatives to attend the conference.

The Swiss authorities plan to hold the conference on Ukraine on June 15-16 at the Burgenstock resort. Bern has invited more than 160 delegations, including those from the G7, the G20, and BRICS. On June 10, the authorities announced that 90 countries and organizations had responded to the invitation. Representatives of China, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and a number of other states will not come to Burgenstock. Meanwhile, according to some media, the number of potential participants has already dropped to 78.

According to the Swiss authorities, Russia has not been invited. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that holding this event is a "road to nowhere" and Moscow does not see that the West wants to enter into fair negotiations. At the same time, Russia has repeatedly stressed that Moscow has never refused to settle the conflict with Kiev through peace talks.