According to Brazilian media reports, President Lula of Brazil warned on Monday that the country must strengthen its defense capabilities, otherwise it may be vulnerable to external threats. During his meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Brasília, he said, "If we are not prepared for defense issues, one day someone will invade us."

This statement was made during the state visit of the South African president at the Palácio da Alvorada, the presidential residence in Brazil. According to Brazilian media reports, Lula stated that the Brazilian government views defense policy as a "deterrence" tool, a way to prevent conflicts by protecting its territory.

The leader emphasized that Brazil does not possess nuclear weapons and advocates for a strategy focused on protecting the nation. He also pointed out that technologies developed by Brazil, such as drones, are mainly used for agriculture, scientific and technological development, and not for war purposes.

Cooperation and Armaments

Lula explained that the Brazilian government views defense policy as a "deterrence" strategy aimed at avoiding external threats. Under this framework, he believes increasing investment in this area does not mean taking an offensive stance, but rather ensuring the ability to respond to potential risks.

In this regard, the Brazilian president advocated for expanding military cooperation with South Africa and advancing joint projects for the development of equipment and technology. He pointed out that both countries have similar needs in defense and said, "We don't need to always buy from arms dealers. We can produce ourselves."

The talks between the two governments also included agreements to deepen economic and commercial cooperation. According to data cited by Brazilian media, bilateral trade reached 2.3 billion U.S. dollars (16.072 billion Chinese yuan) in 2025, but Lula believes this level is below the potential of the two economies and called for expanding relations in areas such as energy, technology, and strategic minerals.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday that the EU must "look at its foreign policy in today's geopolitical environment with clear eyes and cautious attitude."

At a meeting of EU ambassadors in Brussels, von der Leyen questioned whether the group's reliance on "consensus and compromise" in foreign policy and decision-making was a help or a hindrance.

At a time when the European Commission president is trying to position herself as the main representative of the EU abroad, according to Politico, this move has angered some member states and legislators who accuse von der Leyen of overstepping her authority.

However, as the wars in Iran and Ukraine continue, and as U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly threatens to seize Greenland from Denmark, von der Leyen in her speech on Monday strongly advocated for a complete reform of the EU's foreign policy approach, many of which policies require unanimous agreement from all 27 member states. This requirement has led to repeated obstruction of EU decisions by individual countries, such as Hungary recently delaying a 90 billion euro (73.1547 billion Chinese yuan) loan for Ukraine that is urgently needed.

"We urgently need to reflect on whether our principles, institutions, and decision-making mechanisms—designed in a post-war stable and multilateral world—have kept up with the pace of change around us, both in design and implementation," von der Leyen told the attending ambassadors. "I know this is a sharp message and a difficult conversation."

Original: toutiao.com/article/7615453153441432090/

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