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Lula rejects U.S. interference and slams Trump at G7 summit
During the G7 summit in Évian‑les‑Bains, France, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva confronted U.S. President Donald Trump, demanding that the United States respect Brazil’s sovereignty and refrain from meddling in the country’s upcoming elections. Lula said, “Ele pode continuar gostando do Bolsonaro… Agora, não se meta nas eleições no Brasil,” and added, “Eu não pedi bilateral para o Trump porque nós estamos em negociação.” He criticised Trump’s comments that Brazil had become “politically dangerous” and called the American tariff stance a “desaforada” act.
Lula also used the forum to press rich nations to act on global inequality, warning that wealth gaps are widening, UN agency funding is falling and military spending approaches $3 trillion annually. He highlighted Brazil’s instant‑payment system Pix as a model for digital inclusion and urged regulation of artificial intelligence to prevent social harms.
In a separate meeting, Lula spent about 40 minutes with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss diplomatic routes to end the Russia‑Ukraine war, emphasizing a stronger role for the UN Security Council.
These remarks came amid heightened tension after the Brazilian Supreme Court sentenced Eduardo Bolsonaro, whom Trump referenced in his criticism of Brazil’s political climate.