Rio de Janeiro: The BRICS bloc of developing nations on Sunday condemned the increase of tariffs and attacks on Iran, but refrained from naming US President Donald Trump.
The group’s declaration, which also took aim at Israel’s military actions in the Middle East, also spared its member Russia from criticism and mentioned war-torn Ukraine just once.
The two-day summit was marked by the absences of two of its most powerful members. China’s President Xi Jinping did not attend a BRICS summit for the first time since he became his country’s leader in 2012. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who spoke via videoconference, continues to mostly avoid traveling abroad due to an international arrest warrant issued after Russia invaded Ukraine.
In an indirect swipe at the US, the group’s declaration raised “serious concerns” about the rise of tariffs which it said were “inconsistent with WTO (World Trade Organisation) rules.” The BRICS added that those restrictions “threaten to reduce global trade, disrupt global supply chains, and introduce uncertainty.” rump, in a post on his social media platform late Sunday, said any country that aligns itself with what he termed “the Anti-American policies of BRICS” would be levied an added 10% tariff.