Conversation with Putin projects Lula to the center of the board

The Brazilian government bets on multilateralism and the group of friends of peace, articulating with China and Global South countries

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva again placed Brazil at the center of international discussions when receiving, on Monday (18), a call from Russian President Vladimir Putin. For about 30 minutes, the two heads of state talked about the direction of the conflict in Ukraine and the Putin meeting with US President Donald Trump, held last Friday (15) in Alaska.

According to the Planalto Palace, Putin described the meeting with Trump as positive and made a point of sharing the details of the conversation directly with Lula, recognizing the active role of Brazil in the diplomatic effort for a peaceful solution. For the Brazilian government, the call is another sign of the relevance gained by Lula’s foreign policy, based on the defense of national sovereignty and multilateral dialogue.

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Commitment to peace

In the note issued by Planalto, Lula thanked Putin’s gesture and reaffirmed Brazil’s firm position in favor of “efforts that lead to a peaceful solution to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.” The statement reinforces the line adopted by the president since the beginning of his mandate, to keep Brazil as an independent voice in the international scenario, acting as a bridge between countries in confrontation without blindly aligning himself with power blocks.

It was not the first time that Lula and Putin talked recently. Just ten days earlier, on August 9, the two leaders had already kept a 40 -minute dialogue when the Russian president anticipated that he sought a negotiating channel with the United States. The new call, made shortly after Putin and Trump’s meeting, demonstrates Kremlin’s confidence in Brazil’s arrangement to actively participate in peace debates.

Peace Friends Group

The Brazilian posture is inserted in a wider articulation. Since September last year, Brazil has been part of China and other countries of the so -called Global South, the so -called Peace Friends Group, created to promote political solutions for conflict.

In May 2024, Brazil and China had already signed a joint document entitled “Common understandings about the political solution of the crisis in Ukraine”. The text also brought together countries such as Algeria, Bolivia, Colombia, Egypt, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Africa, Turkey and Zambia. Mexico supported the initiative, although with caveats, while France, Switzerland and Hungary participated in the discussions as observers.

The group seeks to reinforce that lasting peace will not be achieved with external impositions or forced territorial concessions, but through negotiations that respect the sovereignty of the nations involved.

Brazil as a diplomatic bridge

The link between Putin and Lula reinforces Brazil’s strategic position on the international board. While maintaining dialogue open with Russia, the United States, China and the European Union, the Brazilian government insists on an independent foreign policy, focused on multilateralism and the construction of consensus.

Analysts point out that this balance returns to Brazil protagonism at a time when the great powers face diplomatic impasses. More than a secondary actor, the country stands as a reliable mediator, respected on different sides of the conflict.

For the Planalto, Brazil’s active participation in initiatives such as the Peace Friends Group strengthens the defense of national sovereignty – a principle that Lula has repeatedly placed at the center of his foreign policy. The message is clear: Brazil dialogues with everyone, but does not submit to interests of foreign powers.

Brazil maintains dialogue with USA, but reaffirms sovereignty and expands markets, says Fávaro

The Brazilian government remains firm in defense of national sovereignty while seeking solutions to the tariff war imposed by the United States. The Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Carlos Fávaro, said on Thursday (14), in São Paulo, that the country will continue to negotiate the reduction of 50% tariffs applied by the government of Donald Trump to Brazilian exports, but will never give up fundamental principles.

“Under no circumstances, we will negotiate intervention in the judiciary. The first point is to guarantee dialogue, seek negotiation. At no time, by the determination of President Lula, we closed the dialogue. We seek dialogue on the negotiation table. Now, under no circumstances, will we give up our sovereignty. Under no circumstances, we will negotiate what is not the attribution of the executive power Judiciary, ”said Fávaro.

The so-called “tariff” is part of a series of US actions aimed at interfering with internal cases in the country, including the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro and allies for the attempt of coup that tried to reverse the 2022 elections, culminating in the attacks of January 8, 2023. In addition, Trump started commercial investigation against Brazil and applied sanctions to the Supreme Court Minister Alexandre de Moraes process.

Support Package and Complementary Measures

To protect producers and affected sectors, the federal government announced on Wednesday (13) a package of support measures, which includes R $ 30 billion in credit, through the provisional measure called MP Brasil Sovereign. According to Fávaro, these are only the “first measures” and new actions will still be needed to meet more vulnerable sectors, especially those whose exports depend strongly on the US market.

“Orange juice had a giant impact, but the rate has been removed. This does not mean that developments in the sector will not need corrections. The measures announced will need implementations, and we are open to listening to the sectors so that we can continue to take assistance measures,” the minister explained. He pointed out that industries with 80% or 90% of US -oriented production will suffer more and have specific treatment.

Expansion of markets and public purchases

At the same time, the government intensifies the opening of new international markets. Fávaro celebrated that “never in the history of Brazil, so much market opened for Brazilian agriculture. We reached the number of 400 new markets”.

In addition, the government plans to implement public purchasing programs to absorb part of production previously intended for the United States. “We will add more mango in school lunch and fishing to the armed forces. All of this makes consumption momentarily to supply the demand that was intended for the United States,” he said.

Auction of the agro route and efficient infrastructure

On the afternoon of Thursday, Fávaro and the Minister of Transport, Renan Filho, participated in B3, in São Paulo, of the AGRO Rota Auction (BRS 060/364/GO/MT). The winning consortium offered a 19.70% of the toll, consolidating the success of the event and reinforcing the logistics competitiveness of the agricultural sector.

“A successful auction like this contributes to agribusiness growing with more load circulating through the highways and ensures efficient infrastructure, increasing our competitiveness,” said Fávaro. Renan Filho pointed out that it was the most disputed highway auction of recent years, with five competitors’ participation, and that private highways exceeded the public, consolidating a historic leap in the country’s infrastructure.

By the end of the year, another five or six auctions should occur, totaling 14 to 15 auctions in total, the largest volume in history in the country. According to Renan Filho, more efficient highways increase Brazil’s international competitiveness and prepare the country to face the tariff war imposed by other countries. “The rate is nothing more than the construction of a wall. The ideal would be to walk more and more for free trade, because then Brazil would demonstrate to the world the efficiency we have. But to protect themselves, the world builds barriers,” he said.

With information from O Globo and news agencies*