Putin Congratulates Brazil's Lula After Election Win

Brazil's has claimed neutrality after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva seen at a debate earlier this year.

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What Happened: Russian President Vladimir Putin sent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the Brazilian president-elect, a congratulatory letter after he defeated Jair Bolsonaro after securing 50.8 percent of the vote. Putin said, “I expect that through our joint efforts we will ensure the further development of constructive Russian-Brazilian cooperation on all fronts,”  according to The Moscow Times.

Why it Matters: Putin sees Brazil as an important partner as its war in Ukraine rolls on. Bolsonaro has maintained close ties with Russia - another BRIC member - throughout the conflict. He said earlier that the war would have likely never happened if his political ally Donald Trump was still in office. Brazil officially took a neutral stance.

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TeleSur reported that Bolsonaro said in July the West’s “economic barriers” against Russia failed. The next month he addressed the UN.

"At the United Nations and other forums, we have tried to avoid blocking the channels of dialogue caused by polarization around the conflict. In this sense, we are against diplomatic and economic isolation."

"The consequences of the conflict are already being felt in the world prices of food, fuel and other inputs."

"We support all efforts to reduce the economic impacts of this crisis. But we do not believe that the best path is the adoption of unilateral and targeted sanctions, contrary to international law. These measures have harmed the recovery of the economy and affected human rights of vulnerable populations, including in countries in Europe itself."

"The solution to the conflict in Ukraine will be reached only through negotiation and dialogue." 

We reported that Lula seems to have the same position when it comes to the conflict in Ukraine. Lula said in an interview published in October that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a camera hog who failed to negotiate for peace.

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“I see the president of Ukraine, speaking on television, being applauded, getting a standing ovation by all the parliamentarians. This guy is as responsible as [Russian President Vladimir] Putin for the war,” he told Time magazine.

Lula’s interview was wide ranging and he pointed to diplomatic shortcomings in the lead up to the war. He said the United States had the political clout to avoid the war, but instead incited it.

“Biden could have taken a plane to Moscow to talk to Putin. This is the kind of attitude you expect from a leader,” he said.

He continued, “In the same way the Americans persuaded the Russians not to put missiles in Cuba in 1961, Biden could have said, ‘We’re going to speak a bit more. We don't want Ukraine in NATO, full stop.’ That's not a concession.”

It should be noted that Zelensky also congratulated Lula.

TRENDPOST: The Trends Journal has reported how the U.S. seemed to adjust its objective as the war continues. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III, who was a board member for Raytheon before taking the top defense job, said last month that “we want to see Russia weakened to the degree it cannot do the kinds of things that it has done in invading Ukraine.”