Brazil's Bolsonaro sought Russian help for nuclear-powered sub during Moscow visit: Report

During Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's visit to Moscow last month, the Brazilian daily Folha de S.Paulo claimed on March 16, citing a military source, that Brazil sought assistance from Russia in creating its first nuclear-powered submarine. Earlier, Brazil wanted US' assistance in certifying nuclear reactor fuel and "engineering challenges," according to the report, but the talks fell apart by 2018. After that, the South American country is said to have appealed to Russia for help.

During his visit to Moscow last month, Bolsonaro reportedly asked his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, for assistance with the submarine. The trip occurred a week before Russia launched their war on Ukraine. Officials from Brazil met with Rosatom, the Russian state nuclear energy organisation, which had already agreed to supply fuel for the country's lone nuclear power plant and the healthcare sector. However, after returning home, Bolsonaro stated that "because of the propulsion of our submarine," Brazil was also interested in Russian nuclear technology, according to the media agency.

According to Foreign Ministry sources, the future of the potential deal is now unknown due to Russia's ongoing military campaign against Ukraine, Folha de S.Paulo reported. In recent weeks, a number of countries, notably the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and EU member states, have placed broad penalties on Moscow. Late last year, Brazil began construction on the Alvaro Alberto, the country's first nuclear-powered submarine. According to Naval News, it will be launched in 2031.

A look at Russia-Brazil ties

In recent weeks, as a Russian invasion of Ukraine appeared to be a possibility, Washington pressured Bolsonaro to reconsider his goodwill visit to Moscow. It is worth noting that under former President Donald Trump, the United States designated Brazil as a key non-NATO ally in 2019. Bolsonaro, on the other hand, pushed ahead with the trip, telling Putin in ambiguous terms that Brazil is in "solidarity" with Russia.

While Bolsonaro's visit to Moscow upset the US, it also demonstrated the continuity of Brazil-Russia relations, which have steadily improved through presidents of all political shades in recent decades. Brazil and Russia, along with China, India, and South Africa, are members of the BRICS grouping of emerging economies. The countries convene yearly meetings and, in 2014, created a combined development bank in protest of what they see as unethical lending practices by the International Monetary Fund and other financial institutions.

Many Western experts did not see the BRICS countries' political cooperation as a major event when it began. However, despite the obstacles, the grouping has progressed slowly but steadily since then. Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates, and Uruguay are among the countries that have joined the bank. Many political experts believe that the BRICS countries' relationships challenge the idea of a neatly divided global playing field between US allies and foes.

(With agency inputs, Image: AP)