Brazilian President: We will not vote against Russia at the UN and we will remain neutral neutrality

SANAA, Feb. 28 (YPA) – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Sunday said that his country will not vote for a UN resolution condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin or proposing sanctions against Russia over its military operation in Ukraine.

The remarks came at a press conference in São Paulo on Sunday, on the eve of an emergency session of the UN General Assembly to discuss the situation in Ukraine.

At a press conference, Bolsonaro said he spoke for two hours with Putin. In a subsequent statement, the country’s foreign ministry said Bolsonaro did not speak with Putin on Sunday, but was instead referring to his conversation with the Russian leader in Moscow.

Bolsonaro confirmed  Brazil will remain neutral in the conflict, noting Russia and Ukraine were “practically brother nations.”

“We will not take sides, we will continue being neutral, and help with whatever is possible,” Bolsonaro said. “A big part of Ukraine’s population speaks Russian.”

He added that he was against any sanctions that could bring negative repercussions for Brazil, citing Russian fertilizers which are crucial for the country’s giant agribusiness sector.

E.M