Lula and Trump are expected to speak by phone or video next week, says Mauro Vieira.
According to the Brazilian foreign minister, an in-person meeting is unlikely due to Lula's schedule.
247 - Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira said Tuesday (23), in New York, that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and US President Donald Trump should have their first official conversation next week. According to Vieira, the meeting should take place by phone or video conference, as Lula's schedule is overloaded. The information is from the newspaper The Globe.
A brief encounter behind the scenes at the UN.
The contact was suggested by Lula after a brief greeting of about 20 seconds between the two leaders backstage at the UN General Assembly. In his speech at the opening of the 80th UN General Assembly, Trump praised the Brazilian president, said he "liked" Lula and that the "chemistry between the two was excellent."
Statements by Mauro Vieira
Vieira explained that Lula showed interest in maintaining the dialogue. “President Lula said they should meet and talk. I hope the presidents can talk. President Lula is always ready to talk with any head of state that is in Brazil's interest, and in this case, that can also happen by phone or video conference because, unfortunately, the president [Lula] is very busy, he has a very full schedule,” said the foreign minister.
Brazilian Foreign Ministry reinforces willingness to negotiate.
The minister also highlighted Brazil's negotiating stance. "Brazil is a country of negotiation and is always willing to dialogue," he stated. Vieira reminded, however, that certain issues are non-negotiable.
“The political issue is non-negotiable, there is no room for that. But we are ready to negotiate the issue of tariffs. Although they are illegal, they are not within the framework of WTO agreements, we are ready to discuss them. The only thing we cannot discuss is sovereignty, the separation of powers,” he reiterated.
Expectations for the bilateral relationship
The expectation is that the conversation between Lula and Trump will serve to align points on the bilateral agenda, especially on economic and trade issues, opening space for future understandings between Brazil and the United States.
