Brazil Hosts BRICS Summit Amid Global Tensions

Brazil Hosts BRICS Summit Amid Global Tensions \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Brazil hosts the BRICS summit in Rio, addressing sensitive topics like Israel‑Iran conflict, Gaza crisis, and U.S. tariffs under Trump. Analysts warn that internal divisions and leader absences may limit the bloc’s global impact. Brazil prioritizes neutral issues—AI, climate, health, trade—to avoid U.S. economic pressure.

Quick Looks

• Date & Venue: Rio de Janeiro, Sunday–Monday
• Key Issues: Israel‑Iran crisis, Gaza humanitarian crisis, U.S. tariffs
• Caution Advised: Discussions likely to be diplomatic and low‑profile
• Geopolitical Impact: Analysts doubt cohesion of expanded bloc
• Brazil’s Drive: Focus on AI, climate, health, trade, investment
• Absent Leaders: Xi Jinping and President Sisi are skipped out
• Global Stakes: Trump’s tariff threats loom
• Strategic Goals: Diversify partnerships, fortify emerging economies
• Domestic Context: Lula seeks diplomatic win ahead of COP 30

Deep Look

Brazil is set to host a pivotal BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, bringing together an expanded coalition of developing economies at a time of growing geopolitical tension and economic uncertainty. With high-stakes issues like the conflict in Gaza, Israel’s military actions against Iran, and renewed tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump looming over the agenda, the summit has taken on a strategically cautious tone. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is steering the bloc’s focus toward less divisive themes like climate change, artificial intelligence, and healthcare cooperation, in a bid to foster unity and avoid confrontation with Washington.

This year’s summit arrives as BRICS undergoes a significant transformation. In 2024, the bloc expanded from its five original members—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—to include Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Ethiopia. The move was meant to elevate BRICS as a formidable counterbalance to Western-dominated global institutions. However, analysts say the expansion has introduced fragmentation, with divergent political interests, economic strategies, and geopolitical alliances making it harder for the bloc to speak with one voice.

Key absences from the summit highlight these tensions. Chinese President Xi Jinping will miss a BRICS summit for the first time since taking office in 2012, and Russian President Vladimir Putin will only attend via video link due to an international arrest warrant stemming from the war in Ukraine. Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian will also not attend, complicating efforts to achieve a unified stance on contentious global issues.

Behind closed doors, some BRICS members are pushing for stronger language condemning Israeli actions in Gaza and Iran. But Brazil, the summit host, is determined to keep the proceedings “as technical as possible,” according to political analyst Oliver Stuenkel. The goal is to avoid provoking the U.S., particularly under the renewed leadership of Donald Trump, who has already floated the idea of imposing 100% tariffs on BRICS members should they attempt to undermine the dollar.

This diplomatic tightrope reflects Brazil’s strategic calculus. Lula wants to maintain the bloc’s relevance in international affairs without risking economic retaliation. Under his leadership, the summit will focus on six relatively neutral themes: global health cooperation, trade and investment, climate change, artificial intelligence governance, peace and security, and institutional development. The latter reflects the need to integrate new members and solidify internal frameworks amid the bloc’s rapid expansion.

The summit’s muted geopolitical stance contrasts sharply with last year’s BRICS meeting in Kazan, Russia, where the Kremlin advocated for the development of alternative financial systems to bypass Western sanctions. In Rio, the final declaration is expected to include vague references to ongoing global conflicts, sidestepping direct confrontations and avoiding alignment with any single geopolitical pole. This reflects a deeper ideological divide within the group—while Russia and China favor a more explicitly anti-Western orientation, Brazil and India continue to champion a non-aligned approach that prioritizes sovereign interests over bloc-based antagonism.

For Lula, the summit is an opportunity to boost Brazil’s global image as a diplomatic bridge-builder while deflecting attention from a challenging domestic political climate. Facing a decline in approval ratings and legislative friction at home, Lula is looking to secure tangible international achievements that can resonate with both global stakeholders and domestic audiences.

The Rio summit also carries environmental significance. With Brazil set to host COP30 in Belém this November, Lula aims to use the BRICS platform to build momentum around climate finance, conservation, and sustainable development. The inclusion of AI governance as a strategic topic also reflects BRICS’ desire to remain relevant in shaping the norms around emerging technologies.

Observers like João Alfredo Nyegray, professor of international business and geopolitics at the Pontifical Catholic University in Paraná, warn that the current lack of cohesion among BRICS members may prevent the bloc from asserting itself as a true alternative to Western hegemony. The absence of high-level leadership from several key new members further signals growing internal uncertainty and a fragile foundation for joint action.

Nonetheless, scholars such as Bruce Scheidl of the University of São Paulo’s BRICS Study Group argue that the summit remains valuable. “It offers emerging economies their best chance to recalibrate partnerships, build consensus on sustainable development, and prepare for the growing risks posed by rising global protectionism,” he said.

In summary, the Rio BRICS summit is less about dramatic declarations and more about pragmatic positioning. Brazil’s low-key approach reflects the political reality of leading an increasingly diverse bloc during turbulent times. While the absence of strong unified statements may disappoint some, it also reveals a strategic patience aimed at preserving BRICS as a platform for long-term multilateral influence.

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