BRICS Nations Criticize U.S. Tariffs, Steer Clear of Naming Trump

Originally envisioned two decades ago as a platform for emerging economies, the BRICS alliance has increasingly come to be seen as a China-led alternative to Western power.

But with its recent expansion to include countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia, and others, the group is now grappling with deep internal divisions — especially on issues like the Gaza war and efforts to challenge U.S. global influence.

Despite sharp differences among members, BRICS nations managed to issue a joint call for a peaceful two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict — a position that contrasts sharply with Iran’s long-standing stance advocating for Israel’s destruction. An Iranian diplomatic source said Tehran had expressed its “reservations” to the summit’s Brazilian hosts, though Iran did not formally oppose the joint statement.

Xi and Putin Skip Summit

This year’s summit was notably weakened by the absence of two of its most powerful leaders. Chinese President Xi Jinping skipped the meeting for the first time in his 12 years in power, raising questions about China’s current posture toward the bloc. Russian President Vladimir Putin, facing an international arrest warrant over alleged war crimes in Ukraine, also stayed away, addressing the gathering via video link instead.

Putin nevertheless hailed BRICS as “a key player in global governance,” underscoring the bloc’s long-standing ambition to reshape international systems dominated by the U.S. and its allies.

AI Governance and Global Inequality

Amid mounting concern over the control of emerging technologies, the summit also called for international regulation of artificial intelligence, insisting that AI development should not be left solely in the hands of wealthy nations. The commercial AI space is currently dominated by U.S. tech firms, although China and several other BRICS members are rapidly developing competitive capabilities.

As BRICS continues to expand its membership and global ambitions, internal disagreements and absent leadership highlight the growing challenge of forging unity in a bloc increasingly defined by divergent interests.