Brazil–Russia relations

Brazil–Russia relations

Brazil	Russia

Russian PresidentVladimir Putinand the President of BrazilLulain 2005

Brazil–Russia relations (‹See Tfd›Russian:Российско-бразильские отношения or Бразильско-российские отношения,Portuguese:relações russo-brasileiras) have seen significant improvement in recent years, characterized by increased commercial trades and cooperation in military and technology segments. The two countries maintain important partnerships in areas such asspace,military technologies,andtelecommunications.

According to a 2017 report by thePew Global Attitudes Project,35% of Brazilians have a favorable view ofRussia,while 36% expressed an unfavorable view.

BothBraziland Russia are members ofBRICS,a group of major emerging economies which prior to the 1st of January 2023 included Brazil, Russia,India,China,andSouth Africa.After the 1st of January it now also includesEgypt,Ethiopia,Iranand theUnited Arab Emirates.

History

Diplomatic relations between Brazil and Russia were initiated on October 3, 1828,making Brazil the first South American and first Latin American country with formalized tied to Russia. In 1876, the Emperor of Brazil,Dom Pedro II,paid a private visit to Russia.

The diplomatic relations were interrupted twice: in 1917, after theOctober Revolution(being re-established on April 2, 1945),and in 1947 due to the right-wing government of the Field MarshalEurico Gaspar Dutra(re-established in 1961, during the government ofJânio Quadros).

Brazil maintained a neutral but distant relationship with theSoviet Unionduring theCold War.Theirbilateral relationswere limited to commercial trade and cooperation agreements of minimal importance. In 1988,José Sarneymade the first official visit of a Brazilian Head of State to the USSR.

With the fall of the Soviet Union and the subsequent birth of the Russian Federation, talks between the two nations increased. Brazil was one of the first countries to recognize the Russian Federation as the legal successor of the Soviet Union (December 26, 1991). In 1994,Celso Amorimmade the first official visit of a Brazilian Foreign Minister to Russia.

Since then, bilateral relations between Russia and Brazil have been characterized by the positive dynamics of political contacts at all levels. In 1997 the Russian-Brazilian Commission of High Level of Cooperation (CAN) was created, headed by the Head of Government of the Russian Federation and the Vice-President of the Federative Republic of Brazil and regulated by theBrazil-Russia Cooperation Treaty,signed on November 21, 1997. Its operational mechanism is the Intergovernmental Cooperation Commission (CIC).

Former Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso and Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2002

In June 2000, the two countries signed the Basic Agreement on partnership relations. In 2001, a high-level committee headed by thenVice-President of BrazilMarco Maciel,and thenPrime minister of RussiaMikhail Kasyanov,established several long-termbilateral treaties,initiating a strategic partnership between the two countries, and creating theBrazilian-Russian Governmental Commission.In 2002, PresidentFernando Henrique Cardosomade an official visit to Russia when the "Strategic Partnership" between the two countries was celebrated. The following year, the Minister of Foreign AffairsIgor Ivanovvisited Brazil.

Continuing that path, another Vice-President of Brazil,José Alencar,travelled toMoscowin September 2003 to meet withRussian PresidentVladimir Putinand his senior cabinet members. The two countries signed theBrazil-Russia Military Technology and Transfer Pact,an important agreement in the area ofspace technology,missile defence,and military weapons transfer.

In response to an invitation made by thenBrazilian PresidentLuiz Inácio Lula da Silva,Vladimir Putin made astate visittoBrazilon November 22, 2004,being the first visit of a Russian President in the history ofbilateral relations,when the "Technological Alliance" was celebrated between the two countries. On October 18, 2005, during a state visit of President Lula to Moscow, the two heads of state signed the bilateralBrazil-Russia Strategic Alliance, as well as an agreement that made it possible for theBrazilian Space Agencyto send the first Brazilian astronaut,Marcos Pontes,into space aboardSoyuz TMA-8.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva with the Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2004

In 2006, Russian Foreign MinisterSergei Lavrovvisited Brazil,when the Memorandum of Understanding for the Establishment of a Mechanism for Political Dialogue and Cooperation betweenMercosurand the Russian Federation was signed. On November 26, 2008, during a state visit of then PresidentDmitry Medvedevto Brazil, the two countries signed agreements onvisaexemption,and cooperation in the aerospace, nuclear and defence industries.

Thesecond BRIC summitwas held in Brasília, following thefirstin Russia.

In 2012 PresidentDilma Rousseffvisited Russia.The following year, 185 years were completed since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Brazil. On this occasion theRussian Foreign Ministerand his Brazilian counterpart exchanged messages of congratulations, emphasizing coincidence of positions in the international arena and importance of future development of cooperation. Both countries advocate observance of human rights, democratic values, respect for national sovereignty, primacy of international law, reform of institutes of global economic and financial governance, and consolidation of the central role of theUnited Nations Security Council.

In 2014 the President of Russia,Vladimir Putin,visited Brazil to participate in theVI BRICS Summit.The following year the Brazilian President, Dilma Rousseff, participated in theVII BRICS SummitinUfá.

In 2017 the President of Brazil,Michel Temer,paid a visit to Russia.A series of acts were signed, including:

• Joint Declaration of the Federative Republic of Brazil and the Russian Federation on Strategic Dialogue for Foreign Policy;
• Political Consultation Plan Between theBrazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairsand theRussian Ministry of Foreign Affairsfor 2018–2021;
• Memorandum of Understanding Between theBrazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairsand theRussian Ministry of Economic Developmentin the Area of Economic and Investment Cooperation;
• Protocol Between theBrazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Tradeand theRussian Federal Customs Serviceon Cooperation, Information, Exchanges and Mutual Assistance about the Uniform System of Tariff Preferences of theEurasian Economic Union;
• Memorandum of Understanding between theBrazilian Federal Revenue Secretariat,theBrazilian Ministry of Finance,and theRussian Federal Customs Serviceon the Exchange of Information on Goods and Vehicles Circulating between the Federative Republic of Brazil and the Russian Federation.

In April 2023, Brazilian PresidentLuiz Inácio Lula da Silvacondemned Russia's violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity and said Russia should withdraw from Ukrainian territory it hasoccupiedsince February 2022.

In February 2022, Brazilian PresidentJair Bolsonarovisited Russia. He met Russian President Vladimir Putin. At the centre of the talks, the economic alliance between the two countries since Russia is a major purchaser of Brazilian beef, while Russia supplies significant amounts ofpotashfertilizer to the Brazilian nation. According to theMoscow State Institute of International Relations,Brazil has been identified as a strategic partner in Latin America, which includes military cooperation. Both President Bolsonaro and aspiring presidentLula da Silvasought close relations with Russia on all levels of government. Bolsonaro stated that Brazil was in “solidarity” with Russia. The Russian Federation likewise emphasized the 'pragmatic approach' of bilateral relations that put ideological differences aside.

In February 2022, Brazil voted in favor of a draft United Nations Security Council resolution condemningRussia's invasion of Ukraine.However, Bolsonaro declined to condemn Russian's invasion of Ukraine. Bolsonaro stated, "Brazil will not take sides."In July 2022, Bolsonaro opposedsanctions on Russiafollowing the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraineand stated that Russia backed Brazil's position on the sovereignty ofthe Amazon.

Current relations

Embassy of Brazil in Moscow

In recent years, the relationship between the countries has been widened through visits by senior officials, multilateral dialogue (UN,G-20,BRICS), and increased trade and cooperation, especially in aerospace and technical-military matters.

The two countries are committed to achieving US$10 billion in trade. In 2012, the bilateral exchange registered almost US$6 billion. The number of Brazilian companies installed in Russia has grown significantly. Cooperation in sanitary and phytosanitary matters has advanced, benefiting the trade of meat as Russia is one of the largest importers of beef and pork produced in Brazil.

Brazil and Russia have converging positions on many issues on the international agenda, sharing the conviction that it is necessary to reform the structures of global governance, with a view to building an institutional architecture more consistent with the contemporary world.

The consolidation of the BRICS grouping is one of the axes of relations between Brazil and Russia. Initially seen as a purely economic concept, BRICS presents itself today as a platform for political coordination in proposing solutions to international challenges. Both countries are committed to advancing two BRICS cooperation projects - theNew Development Bankand theContingent Reserve Arrangement.

Cultural cooperation is also a sizeable aspect of the bilateral relationship. Since 2008, annual editions of theBrazilian Film Festivalhave been held in Russia. Russia has contributed to the training of Brazilian dancers, within the framework of the partnership created when theBolshoi Ballet Schoolbranch opened in the city ofJoinville(2001). The prospect of expanding the network of Portuguese and Russian languages in the main Russian and Brazilian universities demonstrates the growing mutual interest of students.

Russian PresidentVladimir Putinand Brazilian presidentJair Bolsonaroat the virtual14th BRICS summiton 23 June 2022. Brazil and Russia are members ofBRICS.

Brazil has an embassy in Moscow and Russia has an embassy in Brasilia.

In May 2022, Lula placed blame on Ukrainian presidentVolodymyr Zelenskyyfor Russia's invasion of Ukraine, saying "This guy is as responsible as Putin for the war".Lula also repeatedly attackedNATOand theEuropean Unionas having caused the war. He accused NATO of "claiming for itself the right to install military bases in the vicinity of another country".

After Germany appealed to Lula toprovide military aid to Ukraineby selling it arms, Lula refused.

In March 2023, Brazilian Foreign MinisterMauro Vieirasaid Putin would face the risk ofarrestif he entered Brazil.

In April 2023, Brazil PresidentLuiz Inácio Lula da Silvainitially condemned Russia's violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity and said Russia should withdraw from Ukrainian territory it hasoccupiedsince February 2022.He said Brazil advocates a "negotiated political solution to the conflict" and expressed "concern" about the "global consequences" of the war "in terms offoodandenergy security,especially in the poorest regions of the planet. "Lula later suggested however that Ukraine could "give up Crimea" in exchange forpeaceand Russia's withdrawal from the Ukrainian territory it occupied after February 2022.

In December 2023, Lula said he would invite Vladimir Putin to theBRICSandG20 summitsin Brazil. Due to Brazil being a signatory of theRome Statuteof theInternational Criminal Court,Putin could beplaced under arrestby the Brazilian authorities if he sets foot on Brazil's territory. Lula said Putin could be arrested in Brazil, but that would be the decision of Brazil'sindependent courts,not his government.In February 2024, he was visited by Russian Foreign MinisterSergey Lavrov.

Common membership in international organizations

BIS• BRICS •IAEA•IBRD•ICAO•ICRM•IDA•IFC•IFRCS•IHO•ILO•IMF•IMO•Inmarsat•Intelsat•Interpol•IOC•IOM•ISO•ITU•LAIA•NSG•PCA•UN•UNCTAD•UNESCO•UNHCR•UNIDO•UNITAR•UNTAET•UNWTO•UPU•WCO•WHO•WIPO•WMO

See also

• Foreign relations of Brazil
• Foreign relations of Russia

Further reading

• Hershberg, James G. 2020."Soviet-Brazilian Relations and the Cuban Missile Crisis."Journal of Cold War Studies.
• Mielniczuk, Fabiano; Dall&#39, Augusto César; Zabolotsky, Boris (27 July 2018)."The Return of the Bear? Russian Military Engagement in Latin America: The Case of Brazil".Military Review.Military Review. Dall'Agnol, A. C.; Zabolotsky, B. P.; Mielnieczuk, F. (2018).{{cite journal}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
• "As Relações Russo-Brasileiras"(PDF)(in Portuguese). Revista Brasileira de Política Internacional. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2007-09-27.Retrieved2007-05-06.
• "Aliança com a Rússia"(in Portuguese). Defesa BR. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-02-07.Retrieved2007-05-06.

External links

• The Sino-Brazilian Principles in a Latin American and BRICS Context: The Case for Comparative Public Budgeting Legal ResearchWisconsin International Law Journal,2015
• (in Russian)Informational Project about Brazil
• (in Portuguese)Russian Embassy in Brasília
• (in English)Ministry of Foreign Relations of Brazil
• (in Russian, Portuguese, and English)Brazilian Embassy in Moscow