HIROSHIMA, Japan: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Monday he was 鈥渦pset鈥� he and Volodymyr Zelensky did not meet at the G7 summit, adding his Ukrainian counterpart seemed uninterested in negotiating peace with Russia.

Zelensky, who emerged from the summit in Hiroshima with fresh diplomatic support and pledges of more military aid, had sought a one-on-one meeting with Lula, who has faced accusations of being soft on Russia over its invasion.
Both leaders said scheduling conflicts had prevented them from meeting 鈥� which Zelensky quipped had likely left his Brazilian counterpart 鈥渄isappointed.鈥�
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 disappointed. I was upset, because I鈥檇 like to meet him and discuss the matter,鈥� Lula told a news conference before heading home from Japan.
But 鈥淶elensky is a grown-up. He knows what he鈥檚 doing,鈥� he added.
Lula said his team had scheduled a meeting with Zelensky for Sunday afternoon. But the Ukrainian leader ran late, and his own agenda was full after that, he said.
Zelensky got resounding support from G7 leaders at the summit, including long-sought US backing for access to F-16 fighter jets.
He also wooed non-G7 countries invited to the gathering, notably winning a pledge from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to do 鈥渨hatever we can鈥� to resolve the conflict.
鈥淚 understand your pain,鈥� Modi told him.
There was no such show of support from Brazil.
Lula said he did not see a point in meeting Zelensky now, saying neither he nor Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to want peace.
鈥淔or now, they鈥檙e both convinced they鈥檙e going to win the war,鈥� he said.
Lula is pushing for peace talks and has proposed Brazil as a mediator, along with other 鈥渘eutral鈥� countries, including China and Indonesia.
But the veteran leftist faced criticism last month when he accused the United States of 鈥渆ncouraging鈥� the war.
After the White House accused him of 鈥減arroting Russian and Chinese propaganda,鈥� Lula toned down his rhetoric, saying Brazil condemned Russia鈥檚 invasion.
But he renewed his criticism Monday.
US President Joe Biden, he said, is sending the message that 鈥淧utin has to surrender and pay for everything he wrecked.鈥�
鈥淭hat message isn鈥檛 helping,鈥� he said.