Macron-Lula bromance only goes so far

President Emmanuel Macron of France wrapped up his three-day trip to Brazil on Thursday, a step toward what he called “a new page” in relations between the two countries. 

Although both governments signed a total of 23 new agreements in several areas, the presidents could not hide their political differences on issues ranging from the war in Ukraine, the development of nuclear fuel for a Brazilian submarine, and the protracted negotiations for a free-trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union.

The friendship between Mr. Macron and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva began in late 2021, when the French president hosted Lula at the Élysée Palace in Paris. At the time, Lula held no public office, but was all but certain to run for president again the following year. 

The visit was also a jab at Brazil’s then-President Jair Bolsonaro, who had a terrible relationship with the French government. In 2019, Mr. Bolsonaro stood up the then-French foreign minister and went for a haircut instead. About a month later, he mocked Mr. Macron’s wife on social media after being criticized for failing to stop fires and deforestation in the Amazon.

Photos of this week’s visit, highlighting the bromance between Lula and Mr. Macron, went viral on Brazilian social media...