BRICS Countries Take a Softer Stance on Washington in Multilateralism-Themed Virtual Summit

Representatives from each of the BRICS countries did not mention Washington as the main driver of the current tariff wars and international economic uncertainty. Nonetheless, there was a general call to uphold multilateralism and a multilateral trading system.

BRICS Virtual Summit Fails to Point Fingers at Washington, Calls for Defense of Multilateralism

The BRICS virtual meeting held yesterday at the behest of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio ‘Lula’ da Silva promoted multilateralism as a bloc policy but failed to identify Washington as the source of hegemonism.

Leaders present at the summit, including Lula da Silva, Putin, Xi, Ramaphosa, and others, refrained from naming the U.S. as the main driver behind the current trade crisis stemming from the establishment of unilateral tariffs that some consider illegal.

Nonetheless, there were certain jabs indirectly addressing Washington’s hostile behavior toward its main trade partners. China’s President Xi Jinping stated that hegemonism, unilateralism, and protectionism were becoming rampant.

Xi declared:

Trade wars and tariff wars waged by some country severely disrupt the world economy and undermine international trade rules.

Lula himself did not mention the U.S. as a promoter of these policies, but did tackle the issue of tariff weaponization. “Tariff blackmail is being normalized as a tool for conquering markets and interfering in domestic issues,” he assessed, while pointing out that BRICS countries had been target “victims of unjustified and illegal trade practices.”

India’s President Narendra Modi, who did not attend the meeting, stated that “increasing barriers and complicating transactions will not help. Neither would the linking of trade measures to non-trade matters.”

This precaution likely stems from avoiding stirring up the pot and further complicating their trade status with the U.S, as Brazil and India have been two of the most harmed nations by Trump’s tariffs, both now paying 50% tariffs on their exports.

Trump has been vocal on his anti-BRICS stance, threatening to impose up to 150% tariffs on the bloc as a whole for aiding in “the destruction of the dollar.”

Read more: BRICS to Discuss US Tariffs and Multilateralism in Upcoming Meeting

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