Leaders of the growing BRICS group of developing nations met in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, reaffirming the bloc's commitment to multilateral diplomacy.

In his opening remarks, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said, "We are witnessing the unparalleled collapse of multilateralism."

"If international governance does not reflect the new multipolar reality of the 21st century, it is up to BRICS to help bring it up to date," he said.

He also criticized the NATO military alliance, accusing it of fueling a global arms race after it set a defense spending target of 5% of GDP late last month.

BRICS criticize Trump tariffs

BRICS countries also condemned US President Donald Trump’s "indiscriminate" tariff policy.

They voiced "serious concerns about the rise of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures which distort trade and are inconsistent with WTO rules," saying such measures were “affecting prospects for global economic development.”

Trump has said that tariffs of up to 50% could be imposed on August 1 if countries do not reach deals with Washington by that time.

The US president on Sunday also lashed out at BRICS, vowing to impose an extra 10% tariff on the grouping.

"Any Country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS, will be charged an ADDITIONAL 10% Tariff. There will be no exceptions to this policy," Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social social network.

Trump did not clarify or expand on the "Anti-American policies" reference in his post.

Why are Xi and Putin skipping BRICS?

The bloc, originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has grown in size with Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia joining as members last year. It accounts for about half the world's population.

For the first time since becoming China's leader in 2012, President Xi Jinping has opted out of attending the BRICS summit.

Xi chose to send his Premier Li Qiang to represent Beijing. China's Foreign Ministry did not say why Xi is skipping the meeting in Rio de Janeiro.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is also staying away, but he made an appearance via videoconference.

Putin is wanted by the International Criminal Court for his role in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Brazil, as a member of the court, would be obliged to arrest Putin if he entered the country.

What did Putin say at the BRICS summit?

In televised remarks, Putin noted that "everything indicates that the model of liberal globalization is becoming obsolete."

"The center of business activity is shifting towards the emerging markets," he added.

Putin also urged member countries to step up cooperation in various areas including natural resources, logistics, trade, and finance.

BRICS condemn Pahalgam attack, strikes on Iran

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, meanwhile, said BRICS must lead the Global South in an increasingly multipolar world.

Modi also spoke about the attack on tourists in Pahalgam in India-administered Kashmir in April, which triggered a series of tit-for-tat diplomatic measures by India and Pakistan and led to intense exchanges of missile, drone and artillery fire.

"We condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April 2025, during which 26 people were killed and many more injured," a joint declaration by BRICS said, adding: "We reaffirm our commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including the cross-border movement of terrorists, terrorism financing and safe havens."

BRICS leaders also condemned the Israeli and US military strikes on Iran and expressed "grave concern" about the situation in Gaza after their meeting on Monday. 

"We reiterate our grave concern about the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, with the resumption of continuous Israeli attacks against Gaza and obstruction of the entry of humanitarian aid into the territory," they said.

Edited by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah, Srinivas Mazumdaru