Brazilian President Lula da Silva criticized on Saturday Russia's presence in Ukraine and stressed that his country took this stance long ago, Ednews reports citing foreign media.
"I never equaled those two countries [Russia and Ukraine], because I know what an invasion is and what territorial integrity is. ... And all of us think Russia is wrong, and we already condemned it in every UN [United Nations] decision," Lula said following the meeting with his Portuguese counterpart Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in Lisbon. He added he will not visit either Russia or Ukraine until they sit at a negotiating table.
Lula's comments came in response to his earlier remarks, which were perceived in some media as subtle support for Russia. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin invited Lula to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).