BRICS leaders may decry Donald Trump's ‘indiscriminate’ trade tariffs: What to expect?

BRICS leaders meeting in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday are posied to condemn US President Donald Trump's "indiscriminate" trade tariffs, saying they are illegal and risk hurting the global economy.

According to reports, the world leaders are poised to adopt a position at odds with Trump on trade tariffs, conflict in the Middle East and global arms spending, even as they shy away from any direct challenge to the US.

Since coming to office in January, Trump has threatened allies and rivals alike with a slew of punitive duties.

In a draft statement prepared for their meeting in Brazil starting Sunday, BRICS leaders agreed to voice “serious concerns” about the rise of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures “which distort trade and are inconsistent with WTO rules,” according to a version of the final text as cited by Bloomberg.

Besides, the leaders agreed to “condemn the imposition of unilateral coercive measures that are contrary to international law,” specifically economic sanctions, the text states.

The final wording of the concluding communique could still be amended by leaders gathering for talks on Sunday and Monday.

The draft summit declaration does not mention the United States or its president by name. However, emerging-market nations are clearly referring to the US in the wake of the president’s tariffs imposed on countries worldwide.

But it is a clear political shot directed at Washington from 11 emerging nations, including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, news agency AFP reported.

Facing punitive levies, nations including founding BRICS member India are racing to strike deals with the US ahead of a July 9 deadline Trump has given for the tariffs to take effect.

At the same time, the reluctance to call out Trump or the US by name reflects divisions within the bloc, with some closer to Washington than others, and members such as India wary that BRICS could become a vehicle for its largest member economy, China.

Members are still unable to identify a common position regarding representation on the UN Security Council.

Even so, BRICS nations hosted in Rio de Janeiro by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are at cross-purposes with the Trump administration on multiple aspects of policy.

That includes underscoring the role of the World Health Organization as “essential to effectively address current and future public health challenges” — while Trump notified the WHO of the US intention to withdraw in January.

It extends to aspects of policy regarding the Middle East, with leaders agreeing to condemn military strikes against BRICS member Iran since June 13, when Israel began its attacks, culminating in US airstrikes on June 22.

These strikes “constitute a violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations,” according to the draft BRICS statement, in which leaders “express grave concern over the subsequent escalation of the security situation in the Middle East.”

That’s a contradiction of Trump’s assertion that US strikes were a “spectacular military success” that brought an end to a “war that could have gone on for years and destroyed the Middle East.”

‘Grave Concern’

The BRICS leaders further express “grave concern about the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” citing the resumption of Israeli attacks and the obstruction of the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

They condemn violations of international human rights law, according to the draft, “including the use of starvation as a method of warfare” — a reference to allegations leveled at Israel of withholding humanitarian aid, charges which it rejects.

They agreed to call for the full withdraw of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip under a permanent and unconditional ceasefire, as well as the release of all hostages, while expressing their opposition to the forced displacement of any of the Palestinian population from their territory.

That language — if it appears in the final text when leaders wrap up their two-day summit on July 7 — is likely to be an unwelcome intervention as Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to meet with Trump at the White House the same day.

BRICS leaders additionally “express alarm” at the current trend of “a critical increase in global military spending,” according to the draft. That’s another clash with Trump’s demand that NATO countries raise defense spending to 5% of gross domestic product, a request that was met at last month’s summit of alliance members in The Hague with a particular focus on facing down aggression by Russia, a founding BRICS member.

BRICS leaders are also set to express their backing for the Paris climate agreement — a pact which Trump unilaterally abandoned — while calling for global governance of artificial intelligence to mitigate potential risks, according to the officials. The US is leading the race to develop AI and is pushing back against attempts at regulation by the likes of the European Union.

The BRICS nations are Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, as well as more recent full members Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates. The declaration welcomes a further 10 nations as partner countries, including Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Vietnam and Thailand.