Leaders from the BRICS bloc, often presented as a counterweight to the West, will soon meet in Rio de Janeiro, just as U.S. President Donald Trump threatens to reignite his trade war with a flurry of new unilateral tariffs.
The summit, held on July 6 and 7, will feature officials from the group’s founding members—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—and its newer additions—Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Indonesia and Iran. Leaders from “partner countries”, a new category created in January as a stepping stone to full membership, will also attend. Vietnam’s Prime Minister, Pham Minh Chinh, is traveling to Brazil after the Southeast Asian country became the newest BRICS partner in June.
The agenda includes discussions on vaccine cooperation, the green energy transition, and reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO), prompted by mounting concerns over a rise in unilateral tariffs.
Trade protectionism has dominated recent headlines due to Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs. On Thursday, Trump said he could set unilateral tariffs on as many as a dozen U.S. trading partners as soon as Friday. He suggested that the new levies, which could go as high as 70%, will come into effect by August 1.
The Trump Administration’s pause on reciprocal tariffs expires on July 9; without an extension, tariffs will rise back to levels first proposed on April 2.
Yet Trump’s tariffs violate the World Trade Organization’s Most Favored Nation clause, which requires that members treat each other equally in trade agreements. China has already initiated a WTO dispute over the U.S.’s new tariffs in April.
The WTO’s failure to enforce its own rules has led to calls for reform. The U.S. has blocked appointments to the organization’s appellate body since 2019, arguing that it regularly exceeds its authority with its rulings. BRICS countries point to the lack of a “well-functioning” dispute settlement mechanism as an impetus for reform.
Trade and tariffs won’t be the only contentious issue at the summit. Russia’s continued war in Ukraine and the recent Iran-Israel conflict could create “dangerous distractions to an effective summit outcome,” Christopher Sabatini, a senior research fellow for the Americas at Chatham House, wrote earlier this week.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be attending in person, due to an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court. As an ICC member, Brazil would be obligated to arrest Putin on arrival.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will also not be attending the BRICS summit, with Premier Li Qiang going in his place.
Interest in BRICS has grown in recent years, as countries explore different groupings as a hedge against the current U.S.-led international system. BRICS membership might also lead to better access to markets like China.
Yet the group has its own geopolitical divisions, such as between India and China. And tensions within BRICS have already surfaced this year. In April, the group’s foreign ministers failed to issue a joint statement about rising trade protectionism.
Still, observers sometimes see the BRICS as a potential threat to the U.S. One such observer: Trump, who has threatened 100% tariffs against BRICS countries if they ever explore a common currency to replace the U.S. dollar.
