Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks during a media tour at the Hanover Fair 2026 Hanover, Germany, on Monday. Photo by Hannibal Hanschke/EPA
April 20 (UPI) — Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has warned about the deterioration of the international order and the paralysis of the United Nations in a message published on X.
He urged strengthening multilateralism while on an official visit to Germany, where he also promoted the trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur.
“It is useless to have one’s house in order in a world that is in disorder. The prevalence of force over law is the greatest threat to international peace and security,” Lula wrote in a message that addresses multiple global conflict hotspots.
Lulu expressed concern over “the risks of a new conflict in Iran” and a possible escalation in Lebanon, as well as the situation in Palestine, where he said that “the survival of the Palestinian state and its people remains under threat.”
He also mentioned the war in Ukraine, noting that “the long-awaited peace remains distant.”
In his message, Lula criticized the lack of international action.
“Between the actions of those who provoke wars and the silence of those who prefer to remain quiet, the United Nations is once again paralyzed,” he said. He added that Brazil and Germany have defended for decades a reform of the Security Council that restores its legitimacy.
“Revitalized multilateralism is the only path to restore diplomacy and cooperation as tools for peace and sustainable development,” he said, and concluded with a broader call: “Humanity must recover the idea that peace is morally necessary and politically possible.”
The message aligns with a series of recent statements by the Brazilian leader on the global order and the role of major powers.
In an interview published Thursday by the Spanish newspaper El País, Lula criticized U.S. President Donald Trump over his rhetoric toward other countries and questioned the use of threats in foreign policy.
“Trump does not have the right to wake up in the morning and threaten a country,” Lula said, also calling for greater responsibility from international leaders to preserve peace.
In the same interview, he defended dialogue as the main diplomatic tool and warned about the risk of global escalation.
“I do not want a war with the United States. I decided to be very patient,” he said, explaining that his government prioritizes negotiation and national interests over ideological differences.
He also questioned the use of tariffs by Washington and said that the arguments to apply measures against Brazil “were not true.”
Lulu already has raised the need to reform international institutions.
“The time has come to redefine the United Nations to give it credibility,” he said, in line with his most recent call on social media.
In Germany, Lulu participated in the opening of the Hannover Industrial Fair alongside Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Both leaders highlighted the free-trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur, whose provisional entry into force is scheduled for May 1.
Merz said the agreement “will make all participating economies stronger, more independent and more resilient.” Lula, for his part, presented it as an alternative to unilateralism.
“Mercosur and the European Union chose cooperation,” he said, adding that increased trade will boost employment and investment in both regions.