German Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks during a talk about the initiative “Made for Germany“ at the Hannover Messe, one of the world’s largest industrial trade fairs with Brazil as this year’s partner country, in Hanover, Germany, April 20, 2026. REUTERS
HANOVER, Germany, April 20 (Reuters) – Germany Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday that Brazil had great potential to expand deliveries of critical metals, adding that Germany can supply the technology.
“There are significant opportunities in the cost-effective extraction of certain metals required for e-mobility and wind turbines,” Merz said at the Hanover industrial fair alongside Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
“Germany is prepared to support Brazil with technological know-how and expertise in order to further expand these relations,” he added.
Speaking via a translator, Lula said his country had expanded its investment in critical minerals and rare earths, but that his government would “not accept any models that reduce our country to mere resource extraction, serving only to meet demand from abroad.”
Lula added that Brazil was seeking to ramp up defence cooperation with Germany.
“We are engaged in dialogue regarding strategic areas such as tanks, air defence and drones, as well as joint projects,” he said.
Reporting by Andreas Rinke, Writing by Friederike Heine; editing by Matthias Williams
