BRAZIL’S President Luiz Inacio “Lula” da Silva will meet Russia’s Vladimir Putin in Moscow and China’s Xi Jinping in Beijing in May. 

Monday’s announcement came as the world braces for a global trade war following United States President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs.

The press office of Brazil’s Presidency said that Lula is expected to attend Russia’s Victory Day celebrations on May 9, marking the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. 

The Brazilian leader then planned to travel to Beijing to participate in the China-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) Forum on May 12.

It will be Lula’s first official trip to Moscow and his second to China during his third, non-consecutive term as president. During his previous administrations (2003-10), he visited Russia twice and China three times.

Brazil, Russia and China have developed a close economic relationship and are founding members of Brics, the bloc of developing economies established in 2009. 

Brazil holds the Brics presidency through 2025 and will host its next summit on July 6-7 in Rio de Janeiro.

In January, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a press conference that his country would host the Celac forum as an opportunity to take co-operation with Latin America and the Caribbean “to a higher level.”

China is Brazil’s top trading partner. In 2024, it accounted for 28 per cent of Brazil’s exports and supplied 24.2 per cent of the country’s imports.

The US ranked second, providing 12 per cent of Brazil’s imports and purchasing 15.5 per cent of its exports, according to Brazilian government data.

Last Thursday, Lula said that he foresees no positive outcome from Trump raising tariffs on a wide range of products.

“I am very concerned about the behaviour of the American government.

“I am concerned because free trade is being harmed and I am concerned because multilateralism is weakened,” he said.