Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
3 min of reading 
0 comments 
Lula Will Visit Russia And China In May To Strengthen Trade Ties And Discuss Geopolitics, Seeking Balance Among Great Powers But Without Breaking With The USA.
In May, President Lula (PT) will embark on a strategic tour of Russia and China, two of the main geopolitical hubs of the current global scenario. The agenda, confirmed by Itamaraty, highlights the active role Brazil intends to play in international relations at a time of intense tensions among global powers.
Russia: Diplomacy Amid War
The first stop of the trip will be Moscow, from May 8 to 10. Lula is expected to directly address the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, positioning himself as a possible mediator or, at the very least, as a voice from the Global South in search of peace.
In addition to discussions about the war, the Brazilian president will participate in the 80th anniversary ceremony of the “Victory Day”, an emblematic date that marks the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.
-
China imposes sanctions on the Philippine Defense chief, bans entry to Hong Kong and Macau, and turns criticisms over the South China Sea into a new diplomatic crisis that could bring Manila even closer to the US.
-
Somali referee was close to fulfilling his dream of officiating at the World Cup, was barred in the USA and returned home welcomed as a hero in Somalia
-
Discovery of floating structure in Scarborough prompts Philippines to act and increases international attention on the South China Sea
-
Hungarian deputies approve a 40% cut in their own salaries, lose allowances, and place political privileges at the center of a change that surprised Europe.
The event holds significant symbolic weight in Russian politics and is an opportunity for Lula to strengthen diplomatic ties at a time when the West is imposing severe sanctions on Vladimir Putin’s government.
China: Trade, Investments, And Strategic Alignment
From Moscow, Lula will proceed to China, where he will be from May 12 to 13. The highlight of the visit will be the meeting between the countries of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) and President Xi Jinping.
The visit reflects the priority given to the relationship with Beijing, Brazil’s largest trading partner since 2009. In just the first three months of 2025, the trade flow between the two countries reached US$ 38.8 billion, with US$ 19.8 billion in Brazilian exports and US$ 19 billion in imports of Chinese products.
Trade between Brazil and China is growing robustly, without, however, harming relations with the United States. Nevertheless, the balance with the Americans is in deficit: Brazil exported US$ 9.7 billion and imported US$ 10.3 billion during the same period.
Lula Seeks Balance Amid Competition Between Powers
Despite drawing closer to China and Russia, Lula reinforces the discourse of neutrality in the new economic Cold War between the United States and China.
In a recent statement alongside Chilean President Gabriel Boric, the leftist was straightforward: “I do not want to choose between the United States or China. I want to have relations with the United States and I want to have relations with China.”
This discourse, however, is being accompanied by a practice that suggests greater openness to Asia and Eurasia, especially when the focus is on infrastructure, trade, and strategic cooperation.
Lula’s movements reveal a clear strategy: to reposition Brazil as a relevant global actor, increasing its diplomatic autonomy and strengthening alliances beyond the traditional Western axis.
By actively participating in discussions on sensitive issues — such as the war in Ukraine — and negotiating billion-dollar trade agreements with China and Russia, Lula aims to consolidate Brazil as a regional power with global influence.
-
2 people reacted to this.