Brazil will be discussing ‘technical-military’ cooperation with Russia in Moscow

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The trip to Russia by President Jair Bolsonaro’s entourage includes a bilateral military agenda to discuss technical-military cooperation between the ministers of defense, Braga Neto, and foreign affairs, Carlos França, along with their Russian counterparts.

The Defense Ministry confirmed to CNN Brasil that the meeting will take place. The meeting comes at a time of military tensions in Europe over Ukraine between Russia on one side and the U.S. and Western Europe on the other.

The Department’s Defense Products Secretariat is currently determining the content. This subdivision of the Ministry is part of the National Defense Strategy and, among other things, takes care of the commercial relations between the Brazilian Armed Forces and those of other countries.

This is one of the four main meetings scheduled during the president’s trip. In addition, talks between Bolsonaro and Russian President Vladimir Putin are primarily on the agenda. These are likely to focus on economic rapprochement between the two countries and address geopolitical tensions.

The Brazilian ambassador to the UN has already expressed Brazil’s position of neutrality. Brazil does not support military intervention or the use of unilateral sanctions outside the legal framework of the United Nations Charter. In Brazil’s view, there is room for diplomatic action.

Bolsonaro will also meet with the Duma (local legislature) and with business people. The entire agenda is still being treated as planned and not confirmed at the Planalto Palace. This is due to the uncertainty of the local geopolitical scenario.

A Brazilian government team is already in Moscow to finalize the agenda items, all of which are scheduled for next Wednesday, the 16th.

The president’s entourage is not closed either. Attempts are being made to reduce its size, as there are calls even from the Russian side to reduce the risk of contamination of the Russian president. According to information from government circles, the cordon sanitaire around Putin demanded by the Kremlin is too restrictive.

The most recent list currently includes ministers Anderson Torres (Justice), Augusto Heleno (GSI), Braga Neto (Defense), Carlos França (Foreign Relations), Paulo Guedes (Economy), and Teresa Cristina (Agriculture). But it is not yet complete.

The economic team, for example, fears that Guedes’ departure could hinder Brazil’s admission to the OECD, the ministerial leadership’s main international goal. Minister Teresa Cristina herself is sick with covid and has doubts.

Planalto Palace supporters, however, are still betting that she will go mainly because a committee of businesspeople linked to the Brazilian agribusiness industry is expected to attend, representing the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA), the Brazilian Association of Meat Exporting Industries (ABIEC) and the Brazilian Association of Producers and Exporters of Fruits and Derivatives.

They are expected to attend Bolsonaro’s meeting with 18 leaders of major Russian companies such as Gazprom from the energy sector and Rosatom from the nuclear energy sector.

With information from CNN Brasil

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