President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, on Nov. 17 ahead of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, commending his criticism of Israel.
Erdoğan praised Lula’s “stance against Israeli aggression,” according to a statement from the Turkish president’s office. He outlined Türkiye’s efforts at the United Nations to curb arms sales to Israel and push for a permanent ceasefire in the Palestinian territories as part of a two-state solution
He also criticized the United Nations for failing to prevent conflicts, particularly in Gaza, labeling the organization as “inadequate in addressing global crises.”
Lula has previously accused Israel of “genocide” in Gaza and likened it to the Holocaust, a position shared by Türkiye. Israel and Brazil have withdrawn their respective ambassadors.
The meeting also focused on strengthening bilateral relations between Türkiye and Brazil, with Erdoğan emphasizing the importance of high-level dialogue in fostering a strategic partnership.
Meanwhile, the Turkish leader plans to present a ceasefire proposal for the Ukraine war during the G20 summit, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources.
The plan reportedly includes establishing a demilitarized zone in eastern Donbas and deploying international forces to guarantee Ukraine’s security.
Erdoğan is set to engage in bilateral talks with several of his counterparts on the sidelines of the summit.
A key issue on Erdoğan’s agenda is addressing the ongoing violence in the Middle East. He was expected to call for an international response to Israel’s relentless attacks on Palestinian territories and Lebanon.
The two-day Rio summit brings together leaders from the world’s largest economies and covers global economic concerns, climate change and international security.
It will be a diplomatic test for Lula who has boosted Brazil’s global standing since returning to power but drawn fire for his positions on Ukraine and Gaza.
The gathering is the first of several high-level gatherings that will showcase Brazil’s ambition to take a prominent role in everything from climate change to the war in Ukraine. Among them is the annual U.N. climate talks next year, which will take place in the Amazon.
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