Brazil earlier contradicted a U.S. announcement that the two countries had reached a deal on a permanent exemption from steel and aluminium import tariffs, saying the Trump administration had unilaterally cut off talks.

"The United States and Brazil reached an agreement in principle on satisfactory alternative means to address the threatened impairment to our national security from steel and aluminium imports," White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said in a statement.

"The details of this agreement in principle have not been finalised. Further, if the alternative means are not finalised shortly, the president will consider re-imposing the tariffs," she said.

(Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by James Dalgleish)