The leaders of the European Union (EU) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) expressed their “deep concern” about “the war in Ukraine” in the closing statement from the Brussels summit on Tuesday, without Nicaragua’s signature. They also supported “all diplomatic efforts aimed at a just and lasting peace in accordance with the UN Charter”.

The closing statement also noted the end of the US economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba. They pointed out that the country’s inclusion on a list of state sponsors of terrorism hinders international financial transactions with the Caribbean island.

A total of 41 points were fiercely negotiated until the last minute of the two-day meeting in Brussels.

European Council President Charles Michel assured today, at the end of the EU-CELAC summit, that a new “optimistic and promising” phase is dawning for relations between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean. “It has been an excellent summit. It was like a new beginning,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, for her part, highlighting the investment commitment of €45,000 million to support the strengthened association with Latin America and the Caribbean until 2027.

Nicaragua disagrees

After tense negotiations, the 10-page statement does not directly name Russia, but says its leadership “expresses deep concern over the ongoing war against Ukraine, which continues to cause immense suffering”.

The text of the document received the support of 59 of the 60 countries participating in the summit. Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that “Nicaragua refuses to sign the text”.

The statement included a precision at the end stating that the text was “signed by all countries, with one exception, for disagreement with a paragraph”, without mentioning Nicaragua.

In a point devoted specifically to international trade, they also “called for the ratification of the agreements signed and currently applied”.

In concrete terms, the Association Agreement between the EU and Central America and the Multi-Party Free Trade Agreement between the Union on the one hand and Peru, Colombia and Ecuador on the other are in force, but Belgium is the only European state that has not yet formally ratified these pacts.

On the sidelines of the summit, the EU and Mercosur reaffirmed their “determination” that the association agreement they concluded in 2019 can be concluded before the end of the year and “resolve all pending issues in line with the priorities and concerns of each side,” they stressed, according to a statement released by the European Commission following a meeting between the parties.

Peace in Colombia and the Malvinas

In the statement, the leaders expressed their “full support” for the peace process in Colombia, “as well as a commitment to advance dialogues with National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrillas and other armed actors.

They also expressed support for the implementation of the peace agreements reached in 2016 between the Colombian government and FARC guerrillas.

In another part of the statement, the EU “notes the historic position of Celac” in the Malvinas Islands (the sovereignty of which is disputed by Argentina and the United Kingdom) “based on the importance of dialogue and respect for international law in the peaceful settlement of disputes.”