Lula and Putin discuss peace in Ukraine

10/8/2025 5:44

Brazilian President Luiz

Inacio Lula da Silva spoke with Russia's President Vladimir

Putin on Saturday for about 40 minutes, the Brazilian

presidential palace said, adding that Putin shared information

about his discussions with the United States and "recent peace

efforts between Russia and Ukraine."



The leaders also discussed their cooperation in the BRICS

group of emerging countries and "discussed the current

international political and economic scenario," according to the

statement.



The conversation with Lula is the latest of a flurry of

calls between Putin and foreign leaders in recent days ahead of

the Russian president's expected meeting with U.S. President

Donald Trump next week.



Putin spoke to the leaders of China and India, both also

part of the BRICS group of developing nations, and other

presidents from Central Asia and Europe on Friday to brief them

on his contacts with the United States about the war in Ukraine.



Lula has been in a public spat with Trump since the U.S.

imposed a 50% tariff on the imports of Brazilian goods, which

Trump linked to an alleged "witch hunt" against his ally and

Brazil's former right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro. U.S.

imports of some Brazilian products, such as orange juice and

aircraft, received a lower rate.



Lula told Reuters on Wednesday he planned to call the

leaders of the BRICS countries, which also include South Africa,

to discuss a joint response to Trump's tariffs on U.S. imports.

The Brazilian leader spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra

Modi on Thursday.



Trump has threatened BRICS nations with additional 10%

tariffs last month, as the group gathered in a summit in Rio de

Janeiro in July.