'Harmonious' meeting between Merz, Lula despite Belém controversy
22.11.2025
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met on the sidelines of G20 talks in South Africa on Saturday, after the German leader sparked outrage with comments on the Brazilian city hosting the COP30 climate talks. Sources close to the chancellor described Saturday's meeting, which focused on the UN Climate Change Conference in Brazil, tropical rainforest protection and the war in Ukraine, as "very harmonious," though it was unclear whether Merz’s controve