BRICS plans to condemn Trump’s unilateral tariffs

According to two sources, the draft statement prepared for the meeting in Brazil on July 6 indicates that the leaders will express serious concern about unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures.

Additionally, the heads of government will condemn the introduction of unilateral coercive measures that contradict international law. However, the final text of the communiqué may still change.

Without mentioning the Trump administration directly, the countries clearly refer to the US in connection with the White House’s unilateral tariffs. Faced with punitive duties, countries including BRICS founder India are rushing to strike deals with the US before the July 9 deadline set by Trump for the tariffs to take effect.

At the same time, the reluctance to directly challenge Trump reflects divisions within the bloc, as some countries - like India - are closer to Washington than others amid concerns that BRICS could become an instrument of China.

Other BRICS positions

According to the draft text, BRICS countries diverge from the Trump administration on various policy issues, including those related to the Middle East, with multiple references to Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

Officials say the leaders may express serious concern about the situation in the Palestinian territories, citing the resumption of Israeli attacks and obstruction of humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza.

The draft language under consideration also includes condemnation of the use of starvation as a method of warfare (referring to accusations against Israel, which it denies).

Additionally, the countries are considering calling for a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and voicing their opposition to the forcible displacement of any Palestinian population from their land.

Bloomberg writes that if such a statement appears in the final text after the leaders conclude their two-day summit on July 7, it will most likely be seen as unwanted interference, since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with Trump at the White House that same day.

In addition to the above, BRICS leaders are expected to express their support for the Paris Climate Agreement - a pact that Trump unilaterally withdrew from. At the same time, they will call for global governance of artificial intelligence to mitigate potential risks.

The publication notes that the US leads the race in AI development and opposes regulatory efforts from countries like the EU.

Trump’s tariffs

Recently, Bloomberg reported that Trump is ready at any moment to shift from diplomacy to unilateral tariffs.

Specifically, the US president stated that his administration could begin sending letters to trade partners as early as Friday, notifying them about the introduction of unilateral tariff rates.

This applies to countries with which the US does not conclude trade agreements.