Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva warned his US counterpart Donald Trump against instigating a new Cold War. He emphasized the need to treat all countries equally. Lula made these remarks before departing from India following a bilateral meeting with PM Narendra Modi. The meeting resulted in a pact for cooperation on critical minerals and discussions on the US Supreme Court’s decision against Trump’s global tariffs.

“I want to tell US President Donald Trump that we don’t want a new Cold War. We don’t want to interfere in any other country; we want all countries to be treated equally,” Lula expressed at a press conference. He is expected to visit Washington next month to meet with Trump. Lula praised the strategic partnership between Brazil and India as one based on equality and mutual respect, contrasting it with negotiations involving wealthier nations that often exhibit authoritarian behaviors.

Speaking at the India-Brazil Economic Forum, Lula highlighted the commonalities between the two nations and their shared vision for growth. He emphasized the significance of negotiating with a country like India, highlighting the absence of colonization dynamics in their discussions. Lula noted the importance of respecting each country’s autonomy and needs, fostering a balanced power relationship. These cooperative efforts have significantly boosted trade between the two countries, with figures growing from $2.4 billion to $10.5 billion since Lula’s initial visit. PM Modi’s goal of achieving $20 billion by 2030 was exceeded, with Lula setting an even more ambitious target of $30 billion.