Washington | Portal
US President Joe Biden received Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez at the White House in Washington this Friday (12) to discuss their countries’ continued efforts to support Ukraine, a country invaded by Russia 14 months ago. Leaders reiterated their “unconditional support” for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and considered a Kievstyle ceasefire for the conflict.
“It is clear that we are committed to a lasting and just peace that fully respects international law and also the principles of the UN Charter,” said Sánchez after the meeting. “Make no mistake, in this war there is an attacker and a victim. The aggressor is the President.” [Vladimir] Putin.”
On the eve of the meeting, a Spanish diplomatic source told Portal that Prime Minister Sánchez would ask the American leader to take into account the peace plans represented by Brazil and China when deciding on the Ukraine war. This Friday, a White House official said on condition of anonymity that Beijing and Brasilia could play a role in any negotiations, but stressed that the end of the conflict must respect principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“We support Zelenskyy’s call for a just end to the war that respects certain principles, including sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the American told Portal ahead of the BidenSánchez meeting.
Sánchez and Biden have not commented publicly on Brazil’s and China’s peace plans. Instead, the Spaniard made the end of the war dependent on the withdrawal of invading forces from all of Ukraine and the restoration of territory on the area demarcated prior to Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Sánchez was in Beijing two months ago and received President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) at the Moncloa Palace, the seat of the Spanish government, at the end of April. On that occasion, the socialist leader thanked the Brazilian for his interest in bringing the conflict to an end, but stressed that the peace proposal that each defended had different “nuances”.
Lula defends the formation of a “peace club” with countries not involved in the war and not members of NATO, the western military alliance. But the move has so far failed to spark enthusiasm among Western leaders. Washington and Madrid are NATO members, which means they agree by convention on the need to arm and support Ukraine against Russia.
However, some of the Brazilian’s statements had a negative impact on the international community, raising doubts about Brazil’s alleged neutrality. Last month, for example, Lula suggested that Kiev might need to cede territory to reach a deal with Moscow, saying that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “can’t have everything he thinks he wants.”
In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Brazilian President also declared in April that Ukraine, along with Russia, was responsible for the war. Lula was also criticized for hosting the dean of Russian Chancellor Sergey Lavrov in Brasilia, who was then to tour Latin America.
In recent days, Lula moderated his speech on the war, explaining that Ukraine and the European Union have their reasons for the conflict in Eastern Europe. Last Day 9, after meeting Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, the Brazilian also said that Ukrainians must resist the Russian invasion, in a speech more in line with what Biden and Sánchez said on Friday.
In addition to the Ukraine war, US and Spanish leaders signed a defense cooperation agreement and discussed issues related to migration, an issue of concern in both countries.