Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had a 40-minute phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, discussing recent events surrounding the war in Ukraine and the larger geopolitical situation. Putin briefed Lula on his discussions with the United States and recent peace efforts on the issue of the conflict in Ukraine, a statement from the Brazilian presidential palace in Brasilia said.
Aside from the war, the two presidents also touched upon the status of cooperation among the BRICS alliance a bloc of rising nations such as Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. They discussed the prevailing political and economic issues worldwide, indicating a shared interest in weathering the uncertainty of these times through firmer multilateral connections.
This is one of a series of messages by Putin to other global leaders ahead of a highly expected summit with then-US President Donald Trump. Putin on Friday addressed Chinese and Indian leaders, both crucial BRICS countries, as well as presidents from Central Europe and Asia to update them on his talks with the US regarding the crisis in Ukraine.
Lula, on the other hand, is leading BRICS toward a united approach to counter increasing US trade barriers. Brazilian President Lula has been vigorously opposed to Trump's tariffs on Brazilian exports, which have strained relations between the two nations. Trump placed a 50% tariff on some Brazilian products, such as orange juice and aircraft, although others were subject to lower rates. Lula is said to intend to mobilize BRICS members, including South Africa, to talk about a cooperative strategy to repel these tariffs.
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The context to this diplomatic sparring is a strained rapport between Trump and Lula. The US leader had earlier accused Brazil of victimizing Trump ally former President Jair Bolsonaro in what he had dubbed as a "witch hunt." Trump had threatened to impose an extra 10% tariff on BRICS nations last month as the bloc held its annual summit in Rio de Janeiro, pouring oil into the trade war.
In return, Lula has been busy extending invitations to BRICS leaders to shore up economic ties and unite against what he perceives as unfair US trade practices. His recent telephone call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday was part of this effort.
As these world powers chart a messy course through war, economic rivalry, and alignment, the exchanges between Lula and Putin underscore the significance of BRICS as a stage upon which developing economies may play a hand in the world arena particularly during periods of increased geopolitical tension.
