ISTANBUL

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Monday that a trade deal with the US is "guaranteed" following his meeting with President Donald Trump in Malaysia on the sidelines of the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.

"Although he (Trump) didn't make any promise, he guaranteed to me that we will reach an agreement, a deal, and I think it's going to be faster than many people are thinking," Lula told a news conference in Kuala Lumpur, a day after he met the US president.

"I raised the Venezuelan issue to him ... And I told him that it would be extremely important to take an account Brazil's expense as the largest country in South America, as the most important economic country of the South America ... He should take in account that Brazil can help him in the relationship with Venezuela," Lula said.

Trump has accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of being the leader of a drug-trafficking organization, amid fears that the US aims to remove the leader from power.

Lula added that Brazil would support Malaysia to be a full member of BRICS, a group of 11 countries.

In a separate post on US social media company X, Lula said he had a "great" meeting with Trump.

"We discussed the bilateral trade and economic agenda in a frank and constructive manner. We agreed that our teams will meet immediately to advance in the search for solutions to the tariffs and sanctions against Brazilian authorities," he wrote.  

'Good meeting' with Lula

Trump said he had a good meeting with Lula, though remained uncertain whether any deal would emerge.

"We had a good meeting. We'll see what happens. I don't know if anything's going to happen," he said, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while traveling from Malaysia to Japan during his three-country Asia tour.

Trump also congratulated Lula on his 80th birthday and described him as "a very vigorous guy."

The session was held after tensions marked by 50% US tariffs and sanctions on Brazilian officials connected to investigations into Trump ally, former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was sentenced to 27 years for plotting a coup. The leaders spoke by video link in early October before agreeing to meet in person.

During the meeting with Lula on Sunday, Trump said: "I think we should be able to make some pretty good deals for both countries."