BRICS Leaders Issue Strong Condemnations on Tariffs, Mideast Actions from Rio Summit
BRICS Leaders Issue Strong Condemnations on Tariffs, Mideast Actions from Rio Summit
The BRICS bloc of developing nations has issued a strong declaration from its two-day summit in Rio de Janeiro, condemning increased global tariffs and recent attacks on Iran, while also criticizing Israel’s military actions in the Middle East. The declaration, notably devoid of direct criticism towards Russia, mentioned war-torn Ukraine only once.
The summit, hosted by Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, was marked by the absence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and the virtual participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who continues to avoid international travel due to an arrest warrant. In an implicit challenge to the United States, the group expressed “serious concerns” over rising tariffs, deeming them “inconsistent with WTO rules” and a threat to global trade and supply chains. Lula himself criticized NATO’s decision to hike military spending by 5% of GDP annually by 2035, a sentiment echoed in the group’s final statement.
Despite prior attacks on Iran in June, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi attended the summit, conveying his government’s call for strong UN condemnation of Israel and the U.S. for rights violations, warning of regional damage. While BRICS leaders expressed “grave concern” for Gaza’s humanitarian situation and called for a two-state solution, Araghchi later stated Iran’s reservations about such a solution. Russia’s foreign ministry, in a separate message, explicitly named the U.S. and Israel in condemning “unprovoked military strikes” against Iran.
The 31-page BRICS declaration condemned recent Ukrainian attacks on Russia, yet largely avoided deeper engagement on the Ukraine conflict. Experts like João Alfredo Nyegray noted the summit’s struggle to establish BRICS as a cohesive global leadership pole, citing the absence of key leaders and uncertainty over representation from countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Brazil, aiming to avoid potential 100% tariffs threatened by the Trump administration, focused discussions on less controversial issues like internal trade relations and global health.
Disclaimer: This content is aggregated from public sources online. Please verify information independently. If you believe your rights have been infringed, contact us for removal.