Brazil can be a mediator in the Ukraine War, says Swedish chancellor

"I believe it is valuable to have governments in the world with great influence, like Brazil, that can talk to both parties. And that is where Brazil can play a very important role," she said this Thursday (6), when asked about the tradition of neutrality in Brazilian diplomacy.

The declaration, similar to what several parties involved in the conflict said in the first years of the conflict, comes this time at a time when Brasília and Kiev are rehearsing a rapprochement after repeated friction and a relationship in practice limited by the Brazilian position, which is also close to Moscow.

Volodimir Zelenski's government is preparing to appoint a new ambassador for representation in Brasília, currently headed by a charge d'affaires. Inna Vasilivna Ohnivets, former ambassador to Portugal, is the most sought after for the position and is well evaluated by members of both governments.

At the same time, Kiev and Brussels are trying to reinforce the good momentum in the Ukrainian conflict, with uncomfortable attacks on Russia and increasing pressure from Europe on the so-called ghost fleet, which is trying to circumvent sanctions to continue transporting Russian energy production, including to Brazil.

"We need to stay true to the rules-based world order, to multilateralism," Stenergard said. "What Russia did was a blatant violation of international law. So we really need to stand up for Ukraine to stand up for international law. Sometimes situations are not so black and white; in this case, the distinction is very clear."

Just over two years ago, Sweden became the last country to join NATO, the Western military alliance, which confronts Vladimir Putin's advances and whose attempt at enlargement, in the Russian version, contributed to the invasion. Supporting Ukraine has been a priority for the alliance, led by the United States but made up mostly of European countries fearful that Putin would not stop in Kiev.

One of the bloc's various forms of assistance is the supply of old models of Gripen fighters, from Swedish Saab, to the Ukrainian government.

The aircraft is the backbone of Stockholm's current relationship with Brasília - which turns 200 years old in 2026. With a factory in Gavião Peixoto (SP), Saab produces the Gripen with a focus on the Brazilian purchase of 36 fighters, with an additional 20 that are still in the negotiation process.

The Swedish company has a partnership with the Brazilian Embraer, from which Sweden purchased C-390 freighters; there is a plan for an innovation center in Brazil - and space to deepen this relationship, according to the minister.

The strategy is also aimed at the broader Latin American market, with an agreement already closed with Colombia for 17 jets of the same Brazilian model, probably produced at the São Paulo factory.

Stenergard also visits Colombia this Friday (7), for the inauguration of ultra-rightist Abelardo de la Espriella. The new Colombian president, when he was still a candidate, stated that he would review the contract, signed during the government of leftist Gustavo Petro.

"We have a long-standing, very good agreement and relationship with Colombia. Regardless of which government is in power, I hope that we can continue to develop these excellent relations. Naturally, I hope that they fulfill what was agreed," said the minister.

Another important pact in the relationship between Europe and Latin America that has been experiencing tense days is the recently approved free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur.

With new regulatory requirements and EU import quotas for important products for Brazilian exports, such as steel, soy and meat, the agreement that took two decades to finalize runs the risk of seeing its rebalancing mechanism activated - a device in the pact that can be activated if one of the parties understands that it has been harmed by the other by measures external to the agreement.

"The agreement is a huge success, but there are always setbacks in pacts of this size. It is a problem when major global players do not comply with the trade rules we have established and, therefore, we sometimes need to adopt countermeasures. It is not something that Sweden wants to see in the long term, and without a doubt, we do not want this to turn into an increasingly heated trade war," said the minister.