Brazil refuses to sell weapons to Ukraine - NYT

According to Ukrinform, The New York Times reported.

Back in 2014 and 2016, Brazil had acquired 34 anti-aircraft guns from Germany in preparation for the World Cup and the Summer Olympics, respectively, to protect its own airspace.

Recently, German officials requested that Brazil return unused ammunition they had supplied, but Brazil refused to hand them over to Ukraine.

While Brazil has issued careful statements criticizing Russia's military invasion and called for peace, the country relies on Moscow for fertilizer and fuel, which may have contributed to their reluctance to provide weapons to Ukraine. The Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has voiced his desire to end the war and avoid any involvement in it.

"I don't want to go to war. I want to end the war," Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said this year.

The New York Times has reported that Ukraine has made at least two requests to Brazil for a long list of weapons, including armored vehicles, aircraft, air defense systems, mortars, sniper rifles, automatic weapons, and ammunition.

However, Brazil has largely ignored these requests and refused to sell weapons to Ukraine.

Brazil is a producer of military aircraft, many of which are made by Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer. The country has stated that its guiding principle of foreign policy has long been to remain a "friend to all."

However, the country has previously expressed a willingness to sell equipment to warring states. For example, since the start of the war in Yemen in 2014, Brazil has supplied Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates with more than 21,000 tonnes of weapons and ammunition worth $680 million, including cluster munitions.

According to Ukrinform, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva recently offered Ukraine the option to cede Crimea to end the war. However, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has responded that the country does not trade its territories and sees no reason to give up even an inch of Ukrainian land. President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that the liberation of Ukrainian Crimea from Russian invaders has no alternative.