The EU-CELAC Summit will begin today as the two blocs aim to expand economic ties and reconcile their different stances on the war in Ukraine. – Photo: © AFP 2023 / Erika SANTELICES

The third EU-CELAC summit begins today, in Brussels.

At the summit, leaders from EU member states will meet with leaders from the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States to discuss energy transitions and strengthen multilateral relations between the two regions.

Days after the EU’s Parliament passed a resolution criticizing Cuba’s human rights record, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel stated that Cuba would participate in “a constructive spirit” at the summit, despite some officials indicating that Cuba’s regime should not be allowed to participate in the summit. At a meeting with his Portuguese counterpart Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, both leaders expressed an interest to strengthen ties. Amid the slight disagreement, the EU remains Cuba’s top trade partner.

Tensions between the EU and Latin American countries largely stem from disagreements over each region’s general position on the Russia-Ukraine war. Latin American leaders received a draft declaration for the EU-CELAC summit which condemned Russia’s actions and expressed support for Ukraine’s war effort. Many Latin American countries have remained neutral on the issue and reluctant to explicitly condemn Russia.

While the meetings are expected to be centered around energy transitions, and other partnership opportunities, relations between some Latin American countries and EU member states may sour as members within the CELAC block have expressed sentiments that they have been dismissed and undermined by the EU. In the medium to long-term, bilateral partnerships between countries are likely to be the main form of cooperation like in the case of Cuba and Portugal.