Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva decried the use of tariffs as a tool of “blackmail” while China’s Xi Jinping said trade wars were disrupting the global economy during a BRICS summit that took place against the backdrop of Donald Trump’s targeting of the bloc’s members.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Monday that more trade and financial integration among the BRICS group of developing nations would help mitigate the effects of protectionism.

Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula on Monday condemned what he described as "tariff blackmail," as Brazil contends with a 50 percent import duty imposed by his US counterpart Donald Trump. "Tariff blackmail is being normalized as an instrument for market conquest and to interfere in domestic affairs,

Brazilian President Lula da Silva urged BRICS nations to unite against international instability and unilateralism, advocating for a reformed multilateral system. He criticized tariff blackmail and invited BRICS to unite at the WTO Ministerial Conference.

Lula denounced what he called "tariff blackmail" as the South American giant deals with a 50 percent import charge imposed by US counterpart Donald Trump.

Brazil has convened an emergency virtual summit of BRICS leaders to address escalating trade tensions with the United States, marking one of the most urgent gatherings in the bloc’s history. The meeting,