Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has dismissed suggestions that the BRICS group of emerging economies is anti-American, responding to recent remarks by US President Donald Trump.
Speaking in Moscow on Thursday, Ryabkov stated, “BRICS is not an anti-American association. Nothing on the BRICS agenda contains an anti-American component.”
His comments come just days after Trump, during a campaign rally on Sunday, labelled the BRICS bloc “anti-American” and threatened member countries with an additional 10% tariff if they continued what he termed “hostile economic policies.”
Ryabkov criticised the rhetoric coming from Washington, warning against the use of coercive language in international diplomacy. “The language of threats and manipulation, if you will, about what is or is not happening, including on the BRICS platform, is not the sort of language that should be spoken to the participants of this association,” he said.
Formed as a platform for economic cooperation among emerging powers, BRICS — comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — has increasingly drawn attention from Western governments wary of its growing influence. However, member states have consistently stated the group’s focus is on multipolar cooperation, not confrontation.
Ryabkov’s remarks underscore Russia’s intent to keep BRICS distanced from geopolitical rivalry narratives, despite mounting tensions between major powers.
Melissa Enoch
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