Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday joined an extraordinary BRICS summit hosted virtually by Brazil to discuss the impact of U.S. President Trump’s sweeping trade tariffs.
The Kremlin said the leaders reviewed ways to strengthen cooperation in trade, finance, and investment, as concerns grew that Washington’s policies could fuel inflation, slow growth, and unsettle global markets.
While President Trump defended the tariffs as essential to prevent the U.S. from what he described as an imminent economic crisis, other leaders at the summit voiced unease over their global implications.
From Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for greater multilateralism, which he described as the collective aspiration of people worldwide.
He also proposed a Global Governance Initiative aimed at ensuring fairness and reform in international institutions, while urging stronger backing for the United Nations system, improved representation for the Global South, and a more democratic world order.