President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said this Wednesday (26th) that it is necessary to place the eradication of hunger and poverty as a priority on the international agenda. Lula is on an official trip to Spain and attended a lunch hosted by King Felipe VI, at the Royal Palace, in Madrid. In his brief speech, he spoke about cooperation between the two countries and the need to preserve peace, citing the war between Russia and Ukraine. “Brazilians and Spaniards are committed to sustainable development and energy and ecological transitions. We share the urgency to act to protect the environment and combat climate change. It is also time to place the eradication of hunger and poverty at the center of the international agenda. There will be no sustainability without social justice, nor will there be sustainability in a world at war,” he said. Lula again condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “We want to open paths for dialogue and not obstruct the outlets offered by diplomacy. Without the ceasefire, it is not possible to advance. This war in the heart of Europe is a tragedy for humanity. The world needs peace, the world also needs solidarity,” he added. Since taking office, the Brazilian president has advocated the creation of a group of neutral countries to negotiate an end to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. On a trip to China earlier this month, Lula even criticized the United States and countries of the European Union (EU) for being “encouraging war” by supplying arms to Ukrainians. Now, in Europe, the president has been reaffirming his support for the negotiated solution for peace in Ukraine. Travel Lula has been on an official trip to Europe since Friday (21). The agenda started in Portugal, and on Tuesday (26) the Brazilian delegation disembarked in Madrid. In the Spanish capital, the president met with union leaders and participated in a businessmen’s forum. This Wednesday, he has already been with the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, in a ceremony for the signing of acts at the Moncloa Palace and, afterwards, went to lunch at the Royal Palace. The president recalled that Spain is the second largest foreign investor in Brazil, after the United States, and that our country is home to over a thousand Spanish companies in various sectors, such as finance, telecommunications, civil construction, infrastructure and tourism. Among these companies are Telefónica and Banco Santander. “I return to Spain committed to relaunch our strategic partnership that we had the honor of establishing 20 years ago. In addition to our heritage of cooperation and cultural and linguistic affinities, we also have a very important political and economic relationship. We are two great democracies, our bilateral trade amounts to almost US$ 15 billion and has shown great dynamism”, said Lula. At the end of the afternoon, the Brazilian entourage departs back to Brazil, with an expected arrival in Brasília at 22:30.
Agência Brasil
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