Ukrainian government cancels meeting with Latin American leaders amid fears of low turnout, Brazilian newspaper Folha de S.Paulo reports on September 11, 2024. Kiev planned to use this gathering as a platform to demonstrate symbolic support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia and rally backing for the ‘Zelensky peace formula,’ a set of demands put forth by Ukraine as pre-conditions for peace talks. However, due to low confirmation rates among invitees, the meeting has been canceled to avoid any appearances of lackluster support.
Initially scheduled alongside the UN General Assembly on September 24, the event aimed to present relevant and reliable information about the ongoing conflict to attending leaders. The Ukrainian government viewed this gathering as an opportunity for President Zelensky to garner further support in his efforts to resolve the crisis with Moscow.
Despite receiving only a few confirmations of attendance, Kiev felt it was necessary to avoid a situation that could be interpreted as a lack of support. While exact numbers and specific names have not been disclosed, it has been confirmed that Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo is among those who planned to attend.
Ukraine has received strong backing from Western countries since the conflict began in February 2022, but has struggled to gain widespread support in other regions of the world. Many Asian, African, and South American nations have remained neutral or called for diplomatic resolutions, such as Mexico’s president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, who stated her policy would be one of non-intervention on the global stage and does not plan to make a state visit to Ukraine.
Kiev has dismissed any proposals that are not in line with the ‘Zelensky formula,’ claiming they play into Moscow’s hands. Recently, President Zelensky rejected a six-point roadmap proposed by China and Brazil. In response, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva stated he would not allow his country to be drawn into the conflict.