BRICS Summit Without China (Or Courage). Attacks on Gaza and Iran Condemned, But Emerging Countries Turn Their Backs on Kiev

The summit of BRICS heads of state and government in Brazil will not go down in history as a turning point in the world order. The Rio de Janeiro Declaration , signed at the end of the meeting by representatives of the eleven countries that now make up the bloc of emerging economies, was distinguished by its cautious tone, generic formulas and a clear intent to avoid friction with the United States on all the issues addressed.

Overall, there was a defense of multilateralism with accommodating tones. The criticisms of the tariff war launched by Donald Trump were toned down, perhaps at the instigation of China. In this sense, the absence of Chinese President Xi Jinping was felt, who, probably in order not to compromise the ongoing dialogue with Washington , preferred not to associate his name with a text that, albeit with caution, contains criticisms of US policies. The statement, in any case, was limited to expressing "serious concerns about the increase in unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures that distort trade and are incompatible with the rules of the World Trade Organization ".

Caution also prevailed on the Iranian issue. In the end, the BRICS “condemned the military attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran since June 13, 2025” and expressed “deep concern over the subsequent escalation of the security situation in the Middle East ,” without explicitly mentioning either the United States or Israel. On the European front, the statement instead certified the BRICS ’ decision to turn their backs on Ukraine , condemning “in the strongest terms” only the attacks on bridges and railway infrastructure in the Russian regions of Bryansk , Kursk and Voronezh “which deliberately targeted civilians, causing numerous casualties, including children ,” without mentioning the Russian invasion.

The only more decisive step concerned Gaza , where the BRICS , reiterating their “deep concern for the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory , in the face of Israel ’s resumption of continuous attacks against Gaza and the obstruction of the entry of humanitarian aid into the territory”, called for respect for international law , “condemning all violations of international humanitarian law, including the use of starvation as a method of warfare” and “attempts to politicize or militarize humanitarian assistance”. Support for the two-state solution respecting the 1967 borders was then strongly reaffirmed, considered “the only means” to guarantee peace and stability.

Recognizing the leadership of the group's superpowers, Brasilia and New Delhi have relaunched their protagonism in the reform of the UN with the ill-concealed goal of obtaining a permanent seat on the Security Council. "We underline the recording of the support of China and Russia " for a greater protagonism of Brazil and India in this UN body, meeting the "legitimate aspirations of emerging and developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, including the BRICS countries".

In the economic sphere, the declaration called for a reform of the Bretton Woods institutions (International Monetary Fund and World Bank), calling for “an increase in the shares of emerging and developing countries”. As a counterweight, the BRICS relaunched their New Development Bank (NDB), highlighting its “growing role as a robust and strategic agent of development and modernization in the Global South”, thanks to its ability to “mobilize resources”, “expand local currency financing” and support projects that “reduce inequalities”.

US pressure, accompanied by heavy threats of retaliation from Donald Trump , have slowed any momentum on the project of an alternative currency to the dollar for intra-Brics trade. The bloc has not abandoned the initiative, however, pushed especially by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , who however had to settle for a declaration of intent on the “relaunch of the BRICS Cross-Border Payments Initiative” and “the commitment to finding financing mechanisms in acceptable local currencies”.

On the environmental front, the BRICS reaffirmed their commitment to “combating climate change and promoting fair and inclusive sustainable development,” confirming their full support for the Paris Agreement, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Brazilian presidency of COP30 in Belém. The main declaration was joined, for the first time, by three additional documents: the Framework Declaration on Climate Financing, the Declaration on Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence and the Partnership for the Elimination of Socially Determined Diseases. A marginal success for Brazilian diplomacy, which however failed to revive the modest balance of the Carioca summit.

(in the photo Lula with the Prime Minister of Vietnam, Phạm Minh Chính)