BRASILIA (Reuters) -Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva spoke with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Saturday for about 40 minutes, the Brazilian presidential palace said, adding that Putin shared information about his discussions with the United States and “recent peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine.”

The leaders also discussed their cooperation in the BRICS group of emerging countries and “discussed the current international political and economic scenario,” according to the statement.

The conversation with Lula is the latest of a flurry of calls between Putin and foreign leaders in recent days ahead of the Russian president’s expected meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump next week.

Putin spoke to the leaders of China and India, both also part of the BRICS group

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