FRANCE —Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has accepted Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s offer to help revive diplomacy aimed at ending the war with Russia, a presidential adviser said on Friday. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, where they discussed ideas to reactivate negotiations, including renewed contacts with the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council.
Presidential communications adviser Dmytro Lytvyn said Lula proposed several initiatives and that both agreed to pursue those contacts and assess progress before deciding next steps. Lula has told reporters he has already spoken with leaders of all five permanent Security Council members, the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China, and plans further outreach.
Previous U.S.-backed mediation stalled this year after Russia demanded additional territorial concessions that Kyiv rejected. Zelenskiy has also urged U.S. President Donald Trump to reengage and broker a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a prospect Putin has so far dismissed. Lula said Zelenskiy had previously declined similar offers but has now accepted Brazil’s involvement as Ukraine seeks to reinvigorate peace efforts amid stalled talks.