EU and Latin American Diplomatic Row Over Ukraine Threatens Partnership
The EU and Latin American countries are facing a diplomatic dispute over whether to mention the war in Ukraine, jeopardizing their renewed partnership. The disagreement arose during the first day of a summit between the EU and the Community of the Latin American & the Caribbean States (CELAC), where EU negotiators attempted to persuade Latin American countries to condemn Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
Nicaragua and Cuba strongly opposed the proposed language on Ukraine, allegedly receiving influence from Moscow to do so. This dispute comes as Russia refused to extend a U.N.-brokered deal that allowed Ukraine to export its grain surplus through the Black Sea, highlighting Russia’s strategy of driving a wedge between the pro-Ukrainian West and the rest of the world.
Despite several rounds of negotiations, no agreement was reached on a joint declaration for the summit, raising concerns that the event may fail to produce any joint statement. European Council President Charles Michel confirmed ongoing discussions over the communiqué, emphasizing the importance of an ambitious text.
The failure to agree on a joint declaration would undermine the EU’s credibility, especially as it seeks to unify international support for Ukraine against Russian aggression and strengthens ties with Latin America in the face of China’s assertiveness in the region.
Latvian Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš criticized CELAC countries for their lack of understanding, stating that laying down arms by Russia would result in peace, whereas Ukraine’s disarmament would lead to its disappearance. The language on Ukraine in the documents provided by POLITICO was watered down, changing from “strongly” condemning Russia’s violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty to “expressing concern” about the war.
Honduran Foreign Minister Enrique Reina acknowledged the holdup but believed that dialogue would find a solution that respects the positions of both the EU and CELAC. The summit’s draft communiqué reflected the diverse interests of each country, with subjects ranging from colonial reparations to the Malvinas islands dispute between Argentina and the UK.
The continuation of negotiations seeks to salvage the summit and foster a strong partnership between the EU and Latin America.