On November 22, the event “Building Trust and Strengthening Dialogue Between Ukraine and Brazil: Lessons from the Past and Perspectives for the Future” took place within the framework of the Second International Conference “Crimea Global. Understanding Ukraine through the South”. The event was organized by the Transatlantic Dialogue Center. The session was moderated by Diana Maslianchuk, a political analyst at the Transatlantic Dialogue Center.
Die Teilnehmer der Diskussion:
– Uriã Fanchelli, international political analyst, author, and political commentator for CNN Portugal;
– Fernanda Magnotta, Coordinator of the International Relations Program at FAAP, Senior Researcher at CEBRI, Global Fellow at the Wilson Center, and CNN Brazil analyst;
– Marina Slhesarenko-Barreto, researcher at the Law and Democracy Cluster of the Brazilian Center for Analysis and Planning (Cebrap) and political analyst;
– Andrii Borodenkov, Counselor of the Embassy of Ukraine in Brazil;
During the discussion, Uriã Fanchelli emphasized that Ukraine has every right to fight for its freedom and that any imperialist encroachments on its independence are unacceptable.
Andrii Borodenkov highlighted the preservation of language and culture by the Ukrainian community in Brazil while successfully integrating into Brazilian society. He also noted that official relations between the two countries began in 1990, with significant potential for cooperation in agriculture, energy, and high-tech industries, which remains underutilized.
Fernanda Magnotta pointed out that Brazil’s foreign policy is guided by pragmatism and partnerships with diverse actors, which often makes its position on international issues, including Ukraine, appear ambiguous. This approach is seen as a strategy for resilience. She also highlighted that Brazil’s foreign policy is deeply influenced by domestic political dynamics.
Marina Slhesarenko-Barreto underscored Ukraine’s strong digitalization initiatives and suggested that both countries could benefit from exchanging experiences in this area. She also stressed the complexity of Brazilian politics, noting the distinction between institutional policies and the perspectives of civil society.
Fernanda Magnotta summarized the discussion by identifying key points for Ukraine’s engagement with Brazil. She suggested that Ukraine could emphasize shared democratic values and similar experiences with political crises when interacting with the current Brazilian government. She concluded that Ukraine’s challenges highlight the failure of the global security system, which has been unable to provide adequate protection for the country.
The event contributed to a deeper understanding of the shared challenges and prospects for cooperation between Ukraine and Brazil.
