Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva urged his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Thursday to "finalise" an EU trade deal with four South American countries, in a visit that underscored key policy differences between the two allies.
France has opposed ratifying the Mercosur agreement, a trade deal between the European Union and four South American nations including Brazil, over fears a flow of lower-cost agricultural goods would outcompete Europe's farmers.
"Open your heart a little to this opportunity to finalise this agreement with our dear Mercosur," Lula said during a state visit to Paris.
"This agreement would be the strongest response our regions could offer in the face of the uncertainty caused by the return of unilateralism and tariff protectionism," he added, referring to sweeping tariffs imposed or threatened by US President Donald Trump.
Trump, who argues that his tariffs will bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States, has hit the EU with multiple waves of levies.
For his part, Macron reiterated his concerns about the deal's impact on French farmers, citing differences in environmental regulations between the EU and Mercosur countries.
"I don't know how to explain to my farmers that, at a time when I am asking them to comply with more standards, I am opening up my market on a massive scale to people who do not comply at all," Macron said.
"Because what will happen? It won't be better for the climate, but we will completely destroy our agriculture," he added.
"That is why I said earlier we must improve this deal."
Germany, Spain, Portugal and others have welcomed the accord with Mercosur bloc members Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, but France has said from the start it is not acceptable in its current form.
To be approved, the deal must receive the backing of at least 15 of the 27 EU states, representing a minimum of 65 percent of the population.
'Premeditated genocide'
This marks the first state visit to France by a Brazilian president since 2012, and comes just months ahead of the United Nations' COP30 climate conference, which Brazil will host in November.
While both Macron and Lula praised the strong ties between France and Brazil, Thursday's press conference highlighted diverging views over the war in Gaza and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Lula accused Israel of carrying out "premeditated genocide" in the Palestinian territory of Gaza.
It is "a premeditated genocide from a far-right government that is waging a war against the interests of its own people," he said at the joint press conference with Macron.
While Lula has previously used the term "genocide," Macron has refused to, saying last month it was not for a "political leader to use to term but up to historians to do so when the time comes.”
France is due later this month to co-host with Saudi Arabia a United Nations conference in New York on a two-state solution to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
Macron said that he expected the conference would take steps "towards recognising Palestine", without being more specific. Brazil recognised a Palestinian state in 2010.
'Aggressor, victim'
On the war in Ukraine, Macron stressed that Kyiv and Moscow should not be treated as equals, in contrast to Brazil's proclaimed neutral stance on the conflict.
"There is an aggressor, which is Russia. There is a victim, which is Ukraine. We all want peace, but we cannot treat the two belligerents equally," said Macron, stressing that Brazil had "a very important role to play" in finding a solution to the conflict.
Lula said he hoped to reinforce Brazil's ties with Russia during his May 9 trip to Moscow, where he was marking 80 years since the defeat of Nazi Germany alongside some two dozen other world leaders.
"My visit here is to strengthen and rebuild our strategic partnership," Lula said during a meeting where he exchanged a hug with Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin.
The European Union warned its members not to travel to Moscow for the event.
France has been one of the most vocal supporters of Kyiv since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
by Toni Cerdá, Cécille Feuillatre & Erin Flanagan, AFP
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