President Javier Milei met with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday as the duo discussed the long-delayed EU-Mercosur trade deal.
After more than two decades of negotiations, the sweeping free-trade accord – which would create an integrated market of over 700 million consumers – has been on stand-by since 2019.
Milei met Von der Leyen shortly after delivering a fiery speech at the United Nations General Assembly in which he denounced the multilateral organisation as a group of “international bureaucrats” who insist on imposing an “ideological agenda” on its members.
During their exchange, Von der Leyen reportedly told Milei that Argentina and the EU have “the chance to improve our association and conclude the negotiations between the EU and Mercosur.”
In a post on social media, the top EU official said that she had told Milei that Europe and Argentina “share deep bonds and strong values.”
"We have an opportunity to enhance our partnership and conclude EU-Mercosur negotiations, as we navigate global tensions together. We remain aligned in our support to Ukraine,” Von der Leyen said in a post on social media.
Argentina has shifted its stance on the Mercosur deal and the direction of the South American trade bloc since the arrival of Milei to office last December.
Foreign Ministry sources say the head of the portfolio, Diana Mondino, has been asked to move forward with the accord, despite the reluctance by some European nations to press ahead.
EU member states would have to have their respective parliaments sign off on any deal.
In recent comments to the press, Mondino has reaffirmed the Milei administration’s commitment to reactivate the long-stalled agreement.
The foreign minister says she remains optimistic it can be finalised, despite the obstacles that have prevented its approval in recent years.
After his meeting with Von der Leyen, Milei headed back to Buenos Aires.
He later travelled to the province of Córdoba, which is stricken by forest fires.
– TIMES/NA
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