BRICS leaders denounce U.S. tariffs, NATO spending as bloc pushes for new global order

Leaders of the expanded BRICS group of emerging economies gathered in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, emphasizing the bloc’s commitment to reviving multilateral diplomacy amid rising global tensions.

In his opening address, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva warned of the “unparalleled collapse of multilateralism” and called for urgent reforms to international governance structures.

“If global governance doesn’t reflect the multipolar reality of the 21st century, BRICS must take the lead in bringing it up to date,” Lula stated, dw.com reports.

He also sharply criticized NATO’s recent defense spending target of 5% of GDP, accusing the alliance of fueling a global arms race.

The group strongly condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s “indiscriminate” tariff policies, citing “serious concerns” about the rise of unilateral trade barriers that violate World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.

“Such measures distort global trade and threaten global economic prospects,” the joint statement read. Trump recently warned that tariffs of up to 50% could be imposed by August 1 unless trade deals are reached.

In a fiery post on his Truth Social platform, Trump responded by threatening an additional 10% tariff on all countries “aligning with the anti-American policies of BRICS,” though he did not specify what those policies entailed.

For the first time since taking office, Chinese President Xi Jinping did not attend the BRICS summit, instead sending Premier Li Qiang. No official explanation was given by Beijing.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the Ukraine invasion, also avoided traveling to Brazil — an ICC member obligated to arrest him. He addressed the summit virtually, criticizing the decline of liberal globalization.

“The global business center is shifting toward emerging markets,” Putin said, urging deeper cooperation in energy, logistics, trade, and finance.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on BRICS to lead the Global South in an increasingly multipolar world. He condemned the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people.

A joint BRICS statement said: “We condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attack… and reaffirm our commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms, including cross-border terrorism, financing, and safe havens.”

The bloc also condemned recent Israeli and U.S. military strikes on Iran and expressed “grave concern” over the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza.

“We reiterate our concern over the continued Israeli attacks on Gaza and the obstruction of humanitarian aid,” the statement read, aligning BRICS with growing calls for restraint and accountability in global conflicts.

Originally composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, the BRICS bloc expanded last year to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Indonesia — now representing nearly half the world’s population.

As the summit concluded, leaders reaffirmed their shared goal of reshaping global governance to reflect the shifting balance of power in the 21st century.