Ukrainians in Brazil call on the authorities not to betray their hopes

Against the backdrop of the visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Brazil, the head of the Ukrainian Brazilian Central Representation (UBCR) Vitório Sorotiuk made numerous comments in the country’s leading media, and anti-Russian protests erupted in Brasilia and São Paulo.  

“Minister Lavrov is representing the president of his country, Vladimir Putin, who has an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for abducting Ukrainian children from the territory of Ukraine and taking them to Russia,” Folha de São Paulo quoted UBCR President Vitório Sorotiuk. “Lavrov’s visit, representing an aggressor country against another sovereign country, is a violation of the UN Charter.”

The Ukrainian Brazilian Central Representation statement also includes a request to the Brazilian government “not to betray the hopes” of about 600 thousand Brazilians of Ukrainian descent. “The body, soul, and blood of Ukraine is part of Brazil, and the Brazilian government is expected to act responsibly,” the statement reads. 

Ukrainians in Brazil also demand to put pressure on Russia until it completely withdraws its troops from Ukraine. “Brazil should demand that Russia withdraw its troops from Ukraine, as international relations should be conducted in good faith,” said Vitório Sorotiuk.

Brazilian journalists also speculated that the UBCR’s appeal sends a veiled message to President Lula, who said in an interview last week that Ukraine may have to cede some of its territories during peace talks.

“It’s positive that Brazil wants and stands up for peace, but the only one who has the authority to talk about the conditions of peace and the integrity of their territory is the Ukrainian people and their government,” Mr. Sorotiuk said.

Lavrov’s tour of Latin America began on April 17 and is expected to last until April 21.