‘We stand in solidarity with Russia,’ Bolsonaro tells Putin

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – President Jair Bolsonaro will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow today (16). The meeting will take place at the Kremlin Palace, the seat of the Russian government.

In his speech, Bolsonaro said Brazil was “in solidarity” with Russia. However, the Brazilian president did not publicly address the tensions in the border region between Russia and Ukraine in Eastern Europe in recent weeks.

“I am very happy and honored by this invitation. We stand in solidarity with Russia. We are eager to cooperate in various fields. Defense, oil and gas, agriculture. The meetings are already taking place. I am sure that this passage here is a sign to the world that we can grow a lot in our bilateral relations,” Bolsonaro said.

The Brazilian head of government also “thanked” Putin for pardoning in 2021 Brazilian racing driver Robson Oliveira, who was imprisoned in Russia for about two years for possession of drugs whose marketing is banned in Russia.

“I thank you for the pardon of a Brazilian who was in Russia until last year. We are at your disposal and I am sure that this meeting will be very productive for our nations,” Bolsonaro concluded.

For his part, Putin said it was a “pleasure” to receive Bolsonaro and that he hoped the meeting between the two would be “productive.” “It is a pleasure to receive him. I hope our meeting will be productive,” he said.

The Russian president pointed out that trade between Russia and Brazil has grown by 87% and that the meeting between the two “is very important because Brazil is our most important partner in the Latin American region.”

Bolsonaro and Putin talked sitting in armchairs separated by a small table.

Other heads of state who have been with Putin in recent days refused to take the test and spoke with the Russian president at a large table. They included French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

HEALTH MEASURES

Putin and Bolsonaro are meeting amid a series of health measures imposed by the Russian government. Bolsonaro, his entourage and accredited journalists were required to present a series of negative Covid-19 tests.

The latest test was conducted Wednesday morning by Russian health teams, according to Metrópoles. In the case of the president and part of his entourage, the test was conducted at the Four Seasons hotel in central Moscow, where they are staying.

With information from Metropole