Trump and Lula Plan Meeting Amid Strained Relations

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva opened the 80th U.N. General Assembly, continuing Brazil’s tradition of speaking first and using his speech to stress multilateralism, national sovereignty, social rights, sustainability and reform of the U.N. Security Council while rebuking U.S. policy. On the sidelines, President Donald Trump and Lula briefly embraced and Trump said they will meet next week, calling the encounter “excellent chemistry,” and Brazil’s presidency later confirmed a possible conversation. The planned meeting would be the first since a diplomatic crisis erupted over the trial and conviction of former president Jair Bolsonaro, a Trump ally. Trump's remarks helped lift Brazilian markets, with the real strengthening and the Bovespa index rising. Bilateral ties remain deeply strained amid tariffs, sanctions and sharp public criticism, Lula’s tilt toward U.S. rivals, and heightened prosecutions of conservatives, creating a tense backdrop for next week’s talks.