BRICS ministers champion multilateralism amid Trump trade war

The foreign ministers of the expanded BRICS group of countries, initially formed by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, pledged to strengthen multilateralism and promote peace amid intensifying global conflicts and increasing economic turbulence stemming from US trade policies.

At the opening of the meeting held in Rio de Janeiro on Monday, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira stated the bloc should serve as “a force for good” in an increasingly fragmented world.

“The path to peace is neither easy nor straight,” Vieira said. “BRICS must lead by example, reaffirming our belief in a multipolar world where security is everyone’s right, not a minority’s privilege,” he added.

Vieira emphasized the expanded role of the group, which has reached 11 full members with its recent expansion, representing approximately half of the world’s population and about 40% of global GDP.

“With its geographical and cultural diversity, BRICS is uniquely positioned to promote dialogue, development, and stability,” he remarked.

The summit took place at a time when trust in international institutions has decreased and armed conflicts have become widespread due to aggressive trade measures implemented under the leadership of US President Donald Trump.

BRICS ministers were negotiating a joint statement that criticized “unilateral measures” related to trade and reaffirmed the central role of multilateral negotiations, which the bloc of leading developing markets has long advocated.

Although China was reportedly pushing for stronger language in response to US tariffs on Chinese goods, which recently reached up to 145%, a source told the South China Morning Post that the final statement would criticize this move but “would not use confrontational language.”

Meanwhile, according to Reuters, Brazilian officials are expected to shelve plans for a single currency and focus on promoting trade in local currencies to reduce dependence on the US dollar.

Ahead of the summit, the Chinese Foreign Ministry described BRICS as a new “cooperation backbone” for the Global South.

On Wednesday in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated China would work with BRICS members to build a “more comprehensive” partnership, promote multilateralism, and support “justice and equality” in the global order.

Guo said, “The BRICS cooperation mechanism emerged during the collective rise of the Global South and meets the international community’s expectations to preserve world peace, promote common development, and improve global governance.”

At Monday’s meeting, Vieira condemned the violence in Gaza, calling Israel’s military operations “devastating” and demanding the full withdrawal of Israeli forces, the release of hostages, and the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid.

Regarding Ukraine, Brazil’s top diplomat called for “a diplomatic solution based on the principles of the UN Charter.”

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov met during the summit, pledging to strengthen cooperation through BRICS to accelerate the reshaping of the global order.

Wang praised the “unity and cooperation” of BRICS members and said the group would contribute to building “a more just and rational global governance system.”

Lavrov agreed, stating that China, Russia, other BRICS members, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization “are active participants in this transformation and are at the forefront of the movement for justice and equality.”

Additionally, climate finance was one of the focal points of Monday’s discussions. Brazil rejected attempts to shift financial obligations to developing countries, emphasizing that wealthy nations should fulfill their responsibility to finance climate adaptation and mitigation efforts.

The day began with officials arriving at Brazil’s historic foreign ministry building, Itamaraty Palace, in Rio.

While Russia and China sent their top diplomats, one person’s absence was notable: Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar did not attend the meeting.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is assessing how to respond to an armed terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22 that killed more than 25 people.

India blamed Pakistan for the incident and announced it would give “an appropriate response.” Jaishankar was represented by New Delhi’s BRICS sherpa Dammu Ravi.

China, a close ally of Pakistan and a founding member of BRICS, called for a neutral investigation and urged South Asian countries to de-escalate tensions.

Farwa Aamer from the Asia Society, a US-based non-profit organization, suggested that Jaishankar’s absence from the BRICS meeting could have both practical and strategic reasons.

While staying in place after the Kashmir attack could be a factor, Aamer said, “part of it could be to convey the seriousness of the issue from India’s perspective to other BRICS members and the international community, especially China, which recently supported Pakistan.”

Tensions between India and China have long complicated BRICS dynamics, and there are concerns that bilateral issues could spill over into the bloc’s agenda.

Nevertheless, Aamer said there is “an interest in the group moving as cohesively as possible,” and this will largely depend on the 17th BRICS leaders’ summit in Rio in July.

BRICS ministers will continue bilateral consultations until Tuesday, and the outcomes are expected to shape the discussions in July.