MOSCOW, December 24. /TASS/. Russia is one of Brazil's largest trading partners, and sanctions against Russia have not hindered trade between the two countries, Brazil’s ambassador to Moscow, Sergio Rodrigues dos Santos, said in an interview with TASS.

"If we look at trade between Brazil and Russia over the past five years, it has grown significantly. Today, Russia ranks eighth among Brazil's trading partners. Among its largest suppliers, Russia ranks fifth. The figures show that despite all the measures and sanctions imposed against Russia before 2022, trade continued to grow," he said.

Russia has become "a more important trading partner for Brazil than, for example, Japan or even India," the ambassador noted. "This is a significant achievement in recent years, and it doesn't seem to be temporary. Last year we reached a record trade volume of $12.5 bln. This year, from January to November, the volume has already reached $10.5 bln. As you can see, there has been no decline. We expect trade to remain at this level in the coming years," he said.

Brazil imports large quantities of fertilizers and diesel fuel from Russia, the diplomat added. "These are two strategically important products for our economy as Brazil is one of the largest exporters of agricultural products. At the same time, domestic fertilizer production is underdeveloped. We are forced to import approximately 90% of the total volume we use. And Russia is one of our main suppliers," he said.