The deadline stipulated by the Lula 3 government to get the agreement between Mercosul and the European Union (EU) off the ground —until the middle of the year— may seem ambitious for a negotiation that has dragged on for more than 20 years. The bloc's ambassador in Brazil claims, however, that the EU itself sees a conclusion as urgent. One of the reasons, indicates Ignacio Ybáñez in an interview with Folha, is the scenario created by the War in Ukraine, which catalyzed the European need to seek new reliable partners —in short, fleeing dependence on countries like Russia.
The Spaniard says that the area of energy — in particular, green hydrogen — is one of the areas that provoke the bloc's greatest interest in Brazil, and says he believes that the country and its products are ready to meet European demands for sustainable supply chains. Still, regarding the conflict in Eastern Europe, he disagrees that countries in the Global South tend towards neutrality. But he recognizes the demands of countries in the region. "The call to be coherent at the international level is always valid. What it can never be is be used as an excuse."
Translated by Cassy Dias