Differences over the war unleashed by Russia in Ukraine plagued the first summit of EU and Latin American leaders in eight years, held on Monday and Tuesday in Brussels.
In their final declaration, the leaders expressed their “deep concern over the ongoing war against Ukraine,” without however mentioning Moscow. Even this minimal wording could not be endorsed unanimously, with Nicaragua refusing to associate itself with it. However, the declaration supports "the need for a just and sustainable peace".
The drafting of the communiqué, in which the Europeans were keen to include a reference to Russian aggression, gave rise to lengthy talks, both before and during the summit of heads of State and government from the EU and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).
For an overview of the different issues discussed at the summit, click here.
Moscow’s supporters baulk at implicating Russia
The leaders, who last held a similar summit in 2015, agreed to meet every two years. The next meeting will take place in Colombia.
At a press conference after the meeting, the Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, who holds the temporary presidency of CELAC, played down the omission of Russia from the final text. “The positions are reaffirmed (…) I don’t see what more we should do,” he said.
Diplomatic sources had also referred to the reluctance of Venezuela and Cuba, Moscow’s other supporters, to implicate Russia.
Other conflicts perhaps haven’t got the same amount of attention as Ukraine
The final communiqué affirms the “need to respect the sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of all nations.”
"A lot of countries will point out that there are other conflicts in the world, and I hear that," Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar had commented in the morning. "And they will say that other conflicts in the world perhaps haven’t got the same amount of attention as Ukraine," he added, while saying he wanted a clear statement on the war against Ukraine.
Latin American countries had indicated before the summit that they did not wish to see the subject of Ukraine monopolise discussions to the detriment of other priorities, hoping in particular to make progress on a free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay).
Latin America sees EU-Mercosur trade pact as a priority
On this point, Ursula von der Leyen said she was “confident” of being able to finalise negotiations on the agreement “in the next few months,” to conclude it at the latest “by the end of the year.”
This agreement, signed in 2019 after more than 20 years of complex negotiations, has not been ratified, due in particular to European concerns about environmental policies, particularly in Brazil. Lula said on Monday that defending the environment could “not be used as an excuse for protectionism.”
For their part, Caribbean countries wanted to include the issue of reparations for the slave trade in the final declaration.
The leaders did not commit themselves on this point, but “acknowledge and deeply regret the unspeakable suffering inflicted on millions of men, women and children as a result of the transatlantic slave trade,” described as a “crime against humanity.”
