Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday questioned the “true interest” of China and Brazil in pushing talks with Russia, while addressing the United Nations General Assembly and said that, “You will not boost your power at Ukraine‘s expense.”
“When some propose alternatives, half-hearted settlement plans, so-called sets of principles, it not only ignores the interests and suffering of Ukrainians …it not only ignores reality, but also gives (Russian President Vladimir) Putin the political space to continue the war,” Zelenskyy told the UN General 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 added, Reuters reported.
Zelenskyy made it clear that Ukraine would reject any agreement that is forced upon them by external parties. He said that, “Ukrainians will never accept — will never accept — why anyone in the world believes that such a brutal colonial past, which suits no one today, can be imposed on Ukraine now.”
‘Somebody wants a Nobel Prize’
The Ukrainian President criticised attempts to achieve a temporary truce instead of genuine peace in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
“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,” Zelenskyy said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
China has been working to persuade developing countries to support the six-point peace plan it released alongside Brazil in May. The proposal includes a call for an international peace conference “held at a proper time that is recognised by both Russia and Ukraine, with equal participation of all parties as well as fair discussion of all peace plans.”
‘Efforts to achieve a lull instead of an end to war’
Earlier during his address to the General Assembly on Tuesday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva promoted the plan. However, Zelenskyy cautioned the 193-member assembly, stating that, “Any parallel or alternative attempts to seek peace are, in fact, efforts to achieve a lull instead of an end to the war,” Zelenskiy told the 193-member assembly.
Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. After nine months, Zelenskiy unveiled a 10-point peace plan aimed at achieving a just resolution to the conflict, based on the foundational principles of the UN Charter and international law. However, Moscow rejected the plan.
The Ukrainian president intends to present a “victory plan” to the US President Joe Biden, during his upcoming visit to the White House on Thursday.