Latin American and Caribbean countries have different views from the EU on the situation in Ukraine

2023-09-12 21:04:34

The head of European Union (EU) diplomacy, Josep Borrell, admitted, this Tuesday (12), that the summit with the countries of the Community of Latin American Caribbean States (Celac) held in July, exposed differences in points view of the situation in Ukraine.

Published on: 12/09/2023 – 21:04

2 min

“EU, Latin American and Caribbean countries have a lot in common,” said Borrell, as their common history “is forged by the movement of millions of people from one side of the Atlantic to the other.”

“But, I insist: we also have differences, and Ukraine is an example of that,” added Borrell, in front of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

“It can be seen that not everyone feels with equal intensity the moral indignation that the Russian aggression against Ukraine produces in us Europeans,” he stated.

The diplomat highlighted that CELAC countries, with the exception of Nicaragua, supported the Summit Declaration referring to the “war against Ukraine”.

During the event in July, the situation in Ukraine became a central topic of discussion, but the Final Declaration made no reference to Russia — to the frustration of European countries.

Presenting his assessment of this summit, Borrell said the EU must maintain its infrastructure investment initiatives, but also support the strengthening of institutions.

Investments

Regarding investment plans, he said, “they are important, but we must also recognize that the most important infrastructure is the invisible one, it is the institutional infrastructure that allows us to live in freedom, which is what unites us most”.

In this sense, the EU announced an investment plan of €45 billion (US$50.56 billion, or R$250.2 billion at current exchange rates), through the Global Gateway program. With this plan, the EU’s idea is to provide a counterweight to China’s growing presence in Latin America.

“It is important to remember the political principles that underlie our action. I am sure that, with our exchanges, we will find a way to boost this privileged relationship”, said Borrell, this Tuesday.

(With AFP)