Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the Hannover Messe (the world's largest industrial trade fair, where Brazil was this year's guest of honour) to hold high-level intergovernmental consultations, focusing on two central themes: biofuels and the geopolitical fallout from rising global tensions, including the conflict involving Iran. The two leaders backed each other on key strategic matters — Brazil pledged support for Germany's bid to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council, while Germany showed openness to Lula's push for European recognition of biofuels, with Merz noting that over a billion conventional vehicles will remain on the road and cannot be replaced by electric cars alone. The meeting, which produced 13 joint declarations covering defence procurement, critical minerals, and quantum technology, reflects a broader effort by mid-sized powers to strengthen multilateral ties as US tariffs and regional conflicts reshape the global order.