(Moscow) Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Wednesday “constructive” discussions with his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro, during his first official trip to Moscow, in the midst of the Russian-Western crisis over Ukraine.
Posted at 10:10 a.m.
“Brazil is our main partner in Latin America”, welcomed Mr. Putin at the end of this meeting, praising “constructive talks” which will contribute to “further strengthen Russian-Brazilian relations”.
Calling himself “solidarity” with Russia, Jair Bolsonaro considered that his visit was “a signal for the whole world” that his country’s relations with Moscow “have good prospects”, according to the Kremlin transcript.
In their joint declaration, adopted at the end of the meeting, the two leaders underlined their “willingness to strengthen the strategic partnership and to deepen the political dialogue”.
They also emphasized a “significant potential for cooperation” in the energy field, particularly for nuclear power.
Mr. Bolsonaro invited Mr. Putin to Brazil, and “the invitation was gratefully accepted,” according to the statement.
Unlike several foreign leaders hosted by Vladimir Putin recently, who sat during the talks at the other end of a six-meter-long table, Mr. Bolsonaro was separated from the Russian president only by a small coffee table. A sign – according to Russian media – that Jair Bolsonaro has undergone a COVID-19 test in Russia.
The far-right Brazilian leader, who arrived in Russia on Tuesday evening, is due to meet with businessmen in the evening during the trip focused on trade relations.
The Brazilian foreign and defense ministers, who are accompanying the president, met with their Russian counterparts.
This visit comes in a context of high tensions between Russia and Western countries, which accuse Moscow of preparing an invasion of Ukraine.
A slight relaxation is emerging, however, with the announcement on Tuesday of the start of the withdrawal of certain Russian soldiers deployed on the Ukrainian borders.
For analysts, the trip by Mr. Bolsonaro – who is due to visit Hungary on Thursday, led by his nationalist ally Viktor Orban – could not have come at a worse time, and responds to domestic political concerns.
Faced with criticism, the Brazilian president, who does not hide his admiration for Vladimir Putin, a “strong man”, stressed that Brazil, a major agricultural producer and exporter, “is largely dependent on fertilizers from Russia”.
In their joint statement, the two presidents “noted with satisfaction the increase in deliveries of Russian fertilizers to Brazil”.