BRUSSELS: The European Union hosted Latin American and Caribbean leaders on Monday at a long-awaited summit to soothe strained ties, but found themselves divided over how to address Russia's war in Ukraine.
The summit of just over 50 senior figures is the first between Brussels and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) since 2015, with several issues undermining ties.
"We need our close friends to be at our side in these uncertain times," European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said, welcoming Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva ahead of the talks.
Von der Leyen promised that Europe would invest 45 billion euros in the Latin American economy under the Global Gateway programme, Brussels' answer to China's "Belt and Road" outreach to developing economies.
But the Europeans had also hoped to convince their transatlantic opposite numbers to sign up to a stern denunciation of Russia's attack of Ukraine -- only to be disappointed.
Summit host Charles Michel, representing EU leaders as president of the European Council, opened the first session urging delegates to condemn Russia's "illegal war".
"Every country on this planet must be safe. And that's why Russia must not be allowed to succeed," he said, arguing that in addition to hurting Ukrainians the war has had "devastating consequences for food security, energy prices and the global economy."
CELAC's president, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, insisted the summit was not the place to discuss Ukraine, arguing that the war should be brought to a negotiated end even if "not entirely satisfactory to each party".
"I am aware that member states of the European Union may have an understandable preoccupation with the situation in Ukraine," he said.
"But this summit ought not to become another unhelpful battleground for discourses on this matter, which has been and continues to be addressed in other more relevant forums."
Even as EU and CELAC leaders gathered in Brussels, diplomats were struggling to agree on the wording of the final communique.
The 33 nations of Latin America and the Caribbean have no agreed position on the Ukraine war, and some want to protect ties with Russia or to seek a compromise peace deal.
Instead of dealing with Ukraine, some CELAC delegates will push for the implementation of the 2019 EU-Mercosur trade deal. — AFP
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