Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may soon visit Brazil.
“Zelensky may soon go to Brazil. Lula da Silva will always be welcome in Ukraine,” Kuleba said in an interview with El Economista (Mexico), La Nación (Argentina) and CNN Brazil.
When asked whether the date of Zelenskyy’s visit to Brazil was already known, the Foreign Minister said that “work is underway.”
In addition, according to the minister, after Zelenskyy’s visit to Brazil, a visit to other countries in the region may be planned.
“Argentina is included in the list because of the significant presence of Ukrainians in the country and for the humanitarian assistance it has provided us,” Kuleba said.
The minister also thanked Brazil for convening an emergency meeting as president of the Security Council after Russia’s brutal attack on the village of Groza in Kharkiv region. Thunderstorm in Kharkiv region.
He noted that the Brazilian National Security Advisor will continue to participate in consultations on the Ukrainian “peace formula.”
“A new meeting will be scheduled soon, it has already been confirmed by Brazil. This is a good sign for relations between the two countries,” Kuleba emphasized.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a decree appointing Andriy Melnyk as Ukraine’s ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Brazil.
The corresponding decree № 341/2023 is published on the website of the President.
In addition, by the decree № 340/2023 Ambassador of Ukraine to Peru Yuriy Polukhovich was appointed Ambassador of Ukraine to Colombia concurrently.
By Decree №339/2023 Oleksandr Polishchuk was appointed Ambassador of Ukraine to India.
Andriy Melnyk served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine from 2022 to 2023, before that he was Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany (from 2014 to 2022).
Yuriy Polyukhovich has represented Ukraine in Peru since December 2022. Previously, he served as Acting Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine (from March 10 to March 25, 2020).
Oleksandr Polishchuk has served as Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine since October 2019. He was Ukraine’s representative in the Trilateral Contact Group in the working subgroup on security issues. He holds the rank of Major General.
Brazil has approved the candidacy of Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Melnyk for the post of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine.
“The Brazilian government is pleased to announce that it has granted Mr. Andriy Melnyk an aggregate nomination for the post of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Brazil,” the ministry said in a statement on its website.
Earlier on May 10, Melnyk had a meeting in Kiev with Celso Amorim, chief advisor of the Special Consultative Service of the Brazilian Presidential Administration.
As reported, on July 11, 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky fired Andriy Melnyk from the post of Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany. Melnyk had been Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany since 2014.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Monday that he has submitted to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky nominations for Ukraine’s ambassadors to China, India and Brazil.
Kuleba said on Facebook that the Foreign Ministry has created an open search for Ukraine’s ambassadors, and the vacancy is currently open for 21 countries except China, India and Brazil.
“As a final note: you may note that China, India and Brazil are not among the list of countries. And you would be right. This is because I have already submitted to the President of Ukraine candidates for ambassadors to these countries. You will know their names after the publication of the corresponding decrees. I will only say that we plan to send to such special countries specialists in state work experience at the level of ministers and deputy ministers”, – Kuleba wrote.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky noted the resumption of high-level contacts with Brazil. “Just talked to the president of Brazil. Useful conversation. Resuming contacts between our states at the highest level,” he said in a video message on Thursday.
“I informed about the Russian attacks against our people, the killing of children, the strikes on our civilian infrastructure. Thanked Brazil for supporting our resolution on peace and territorial integrity for Ukraine. We discussed diplomatic efforts that can stop Russian aggression and bring peace back to our country, the region and the world,” he said.
According to Zelenskyy, in his conversation with the Swiss president, he “thanked for the support package for Ukraine, for our people. We discussed further bilateral cooperation and possible interaction on international platforms.”
“I heard that Switzerland is interested in the implementation of our peace formula. This is a very good signal,” he said.
Argentine Economy Minister Sergio Masa said work on the establishment of a joint Argentine-Brazilian currency will begin as early as this week, the Argentine press reported.
“There is a decision to start studying the parameters necessary to create a common currency, this concerns everything from taxation issues to the size of the economies and the role of central banks,” Masa said in a conversation with Argentine journalists.
“The goal is to give impetus to regional trade and reduce dependence on the U.S. dollar,” the minister added.
“We have to explore the mechanisms of commercial integration. I am not going to speak with false expectations, because this is only the first step in the long journey that Latin America must take,” Masa stressed.
However, the project initiated by Argentina and Brazil is not limited to these two countries. Other countries in the region may join the initiative in the future.
The idea of creating a common currency for the two countries was voiced at a recent meeting between the presidents of Argentina and Brazil, Alberto Fernandez and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.