MOSCOW, February 16. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he and his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro held comprehensive and productive talks in the Kremlin on Wednesday, which resulted in a joint statement on cooperation.

"Today we have had very substantive and constructive talks, which resulted in a joint statement that lays down the guidelines to further strengthen Russian-Brazilian cooperation," Putin said.

"Russia and Brazil are traditionally bound by a relationship of friendship and mutual understanding. Our countries’ strategic partnership encompasses a variety of areas," the Russian president said.

According to Putin, both countries seek to foster political, economic and humanitarian ties and to maintain close cooperation in the international arena, including within BRICS and G20.

Putin added that Russia and Brazil are willing to consistently boost economic cooperation. He recalled that Brazil is Russia’s leading trade partner in Latin America, accounting for a third of Russia’s trade with that region. In 2021 bilateral trade surged despite the obstacles caused by the pandemic.

The Russian president hailed the major role of the bilateral interdepartmental commission, whose latest regular session took place last autumn. In addition, key Brazilian economic ministers visited Russia then upon Bolsonaro’s personal order.

A meeting of the Russian-Brazilian high-level commission chaired by the Russian prime minister and the Brazilian vice president is expected to be convened in the near future, Putin noted.

He added that bilateral councils of entrepreneurs operate very efficiently.

Brazil at SPIEF

"I would like to emphasize that Brazil has always been heavily represented at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF)," the Russian president said.

He recalled that last year Bolsonaro addressed participants in the SPIEF plenary meeting via video link and thanked the Brazilian president for that.

According to Putin, this year’s SPIEF is expected to be attended by a delegation of Brazilian politicians, public figures and business people.