President Lula da Silva, Brasilia, Brazil, May 9, 2023. | Photo: Twitter/ @JorgeGestoso

Brasilia, May 10 (RHC)-- Brazilian President Lula da Silva has announced that he will invite India and Indonesia to join the club of countries he wants to form to mediate in favor of a negotiated solution to the Ukrainian conflict.

"It is the time for diplomacy.  It is not the time for war," he said in a joint statement with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte made at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia.  "We need to find someone to discuss peace and Brazil is willing to do so," said Lula, who will propose the creation of a group of mediating countries during the next meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) to be held in Japan from May 19th to the 21st.

"Peace is the first path.  It is to stop the war and thus create conditions to negotiate an end," the Brazilian president reiterated, explaining that the solution to the Ukrainian conflict must be a "compromise solution" that satisfies both parties.

Lula's statements come at a time when his top adviser on international affairs, Celso Amorim, traveled to Ukraine to meet with President Volodimir Zelenski.  Previously, Amorim had a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"I hope Celso brings me a solution so that we can talk about peace. He knows what Putin wants and he will know what Zelenski wants.  That way we will have instruments to talk with other countries and possibly stop this war," the Brazilian president said.

Currently, Prime Minister Rutte is on a three-day visit to Brazil, where he will hold meetings in the cities of Sao Paulo, Brasilia and Fortaleza.