At the two-day summit that began in Brussels today among the 28 nations of the European Union and the 33 nations of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), EU leaders hoped to produce a final communiqué with a unified statement condemning Russia’s war in Ukraine. Negotiations went on until late in the evening today without producing a communiqué with which all could agree. Here’s why. Look at what some Ibero-American and Caribbean leaders had to say about the need for peace. There’s a reason why the Ukrainian President couldn’t be invited to the summit (see separate slug).
In his opening speech, Brazilian President Lula da Silva pointed out that the current model of global governance doesn’t work; it “perpetuates asymmetries, increases instability and reduces opportunities for developing countries…. The war in Ukraine is one more confirmation that the UN Security Council doesn’t respond to the current challenges for peace and security. Its own members don’t respect the UN Charter…. Brazil supports the initiatives promoted by different countries and regions in favor of an immediate cessation of hostilities and a negotiated peace [in Ukraine]. Resorting to sanctions and blockades without the backing of international law serves only to punish the most vulnerable populations. We need peace to overcome the great challenges before us and this implies profound systemic changes. Dividing the world into antagonistic blocs is irrational. It is urgent to reform global governance.…”
