EU wants to sway key partners away from Russia and China – Euractiv

The European Union wants to establish cooperation with "third countries" in order to fight against Russia and contain China. The "priority countries" include Brazil, Chile, Nigeria, and Kazakhstan, Euractiv reports with reference to an internal memorandum of the EU diplomatic service and sources in the diplomatic environment.

It is noted that each of the four countries is a "powerhouse in its respective region". In order to attract them, they propose to "improve the offer" from the EU.

"We find ourselves in a competitive geopolitical environment: not only a battle of narratives but also a battle of offers. We need to improve our offer and enhance our relationship with them," the document says.

In the second year of the Russian Federation's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU is trying to provide an alternative to the Russian and Chinese narratives in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, the publication writes.

Brazil and Chile are "preferred options" for EU diversification in resource-rich Latin America, which is "most aligning with our values and goals," the paper said, citing a senior European diplomat.

As Euractiv notes, Nigeria is the economic powerhouse of West Africa and may overtake China to become the world's second most populous country by 2100.

The EU also makes it a key priority to "ensure there is no circumvention of international sanctions" by Russia through Kazakhstan. The country can also help the EU to diversify away from Russian energy sources, the publication writes.

In addition to potential trade deals, the document highlights EU proposals for four "pilot countries" in energy, migration policy, economic development, and security coordination.

On April 13, 2023, Bloomberg reported that Kazakhstan was displacing Russia in the enriched uranium market.

On April 19, The New York Times reported that the Russian Federation was purchasing microcircuits for weapons from the West through Armenia, Kazakhstan, and China.