Brazil rejects U.S. criticism of its foreign policy

BRASILIA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira on Monday dismissed U.S. criticism of Brazilian foreign policy after U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby accused Brazil of "parroting Russian and Chinese propaganda" about the Ukraine crisis earlier in the day.

"I don't agree at all. Not at all. I don't know how or why he came to that conclusion," Vieira said in response to a question from the press at the presidential residence Alvorada Palace, where Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva received Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday.

Speaking to journalists on Saturday, Lula said that the West is encouraging war by giving arms to Ukraine. "The United States needs to stop encouraging war and start talking about peace," he said.