🇧🇷 Brazil DEFIES US dollar dominance

President Lula da Silva says global trade must be free — without Washington’s currency stranglehold. What's driving him?

Tectonic shift in world order

🟠 "President Lula will no longer accept unequal terms of trade and US intervention because the very nature of the international system has irreversibly changed," Dr Anuradha Chenoy, retired professor of Jawaharlal Nehru University, tells Sputnik.

🟠 The US has imposed tariffs and pressured Brazil’s Supreme Court to drop cases against ex-President Jair Bolsonaro — Trump’s ally who refused to concede defeat.

🟠 Many Brazilians see it as interference and a threat to sovereignty.

BRICS shield against US hegemony

Brazil has BRICS partners to lean on.

✅ In July 2025, China — bolstered by its economic resilience — signed key cooperation deals with Brazil, covering everything from infrastructure to strategic development.

✅ Brazil-US trade totals around $92 billion, but BRICS trade is far larger. Brazil exports around $121 billion to BRICS — 35% of its total — while importing $88 billion.

✅ With stronger BRICS ties, Brazil has less need to depend on the US, says financial analyst Paul Goncharoff.

De-dollarization accelerates

Lula's push for an alternative currency makes sense — sticking to the dollar means guaranteed loss in value.

"There's really no alternative for the world but to get out of the US dollar trap," Goncharoff stresses.

👉 The shift away from USD is only growing.

👉 PIX, Brazil’s free payment system, bypasses Western firms like Visa and Mastercard — empowering local entrepreneurs, Dr. Vinicius Vieira from the University of São Paulo tells Sputnik.

👉 "And that bothers Trump because those new technologies are a signal that the dollar empire may be coming to an end," the pundit notes.

👉 The US acts desperately to resist its hegemonic decline, but no empire lasts forever. Just as the British pound fell, the US dollar may be facing the same fate.

"The best that [Washington] could do is to offer honest agreements in order to preserve the minimum level of transactions of US dollars, instead of implying sanctions or what now we call a weaponized interdependence," Vieira concludes.

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4th BRICS Summer School South Africa 2025

The 4th BRICS Summer School, hosted by SABYA, is set to unfold under the theme “Building Inclusive Futures: Education, Innovation, and Unity Across the BRICS and Global South.”

This event will bring together distinguished scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to discuss and explore critical issues surrounding education, innovation, and collaboration among the #BRICS nations and the Global South. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue and contribute to shaping inclusive future.

⏰ Date: September 3–5, 2025
📍 Location: University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg Business School

#ANNOUNCEMENT #EVENT

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Russia and Malaysia consider BRICS a platform for aligning mutual interests

Russia and Malaysia view BRICS as a platform for aligning the interests of the Global Majority, as highlighted in the materials prepared by the Kremlin Press Service ahead of the upcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the King of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim.

The two leaders will engage in negotiations at the Kremlin on Wednesday.

"With Russia assuming the Chairship of #BRICS in 2024, Malaysia has been granted partner status within the group. Both Russia and Malaysia regard BRICS as a unique platform for aligning the interests of leading nations representing the Global Majority and an effective mechanism for multilateral cooperation," the briefing notes state.

#NEWS #RussiaMalaysia #diplomacy

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Victoria Panova took part in the Jakarta Futures Forum

On August 5–6, 2025, the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) based in India, alongside the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) based in Indonesia and key regional institutions and governments, co-hosted a two-day global conference titled "Jakarta Futures Forum: Securing Seas, Strengthening Cooperation." The forum featured an inaugural plenary session and five thematic pillars.

Victoria Panova, Head of the BRICS Expert Council-Russia, Vice Rector at HSE University, and Russian W20 Sherpa, served as a speaker in the session "Connecting Commerce: BRICS, Africa, and the Next Frontiers in Global Trade" and took on the role of moderator in the session "Faster Routes, Stronger Trade."

📎 The full agenda can be found on the official website of the forum

#NEWS #BRICSExpertCouncil #BRICSExpertCouncilRussia

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Ivan Ivanov, Director of the Pinsky Centre for General and Extracurricular Education at HSE Institute of Education, shares his insights on the report "Transformation of General Education in BRICS Countries," which was collaboratively prepared by the BRICS Expert Council-Russia and the HSE Institute of Education.

"This report marks the first cross-national study examining the state and evolution of general education systems across the BRICS nations. Involving education researchers from these countries to share insights on practices that foster quality education was a carefully considered choice. The contextual and cultural perspectives presented in this report illustrate how meaningful educational practices can be developed in similar emerging economies, as well as in low- and middle-income nations. It underscores the necessity of tailoring educational policies to local contexts while promoting inclusive systems. The #BRICS nations play a pivotal role in global education, characterised by both shared traits and distinct differences shaped by their unique socio-economic landscapes," the expert noted.

📎 Read full-text report

@inobrhse

#ANALYTICS #report #education

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Members of the Civil BRICS Council met in Jakarta

Victoria Panova, Head of the BRICS Expert Council-Russia, Co-Chair of the Russian Chapter of Civil BRICS Council, Russia's W20 Sherpa, and Vice Rector at HSE University, met today the Indonesian Chapter of the Civil BRICS Council represented by Hardiani Uli Silalahi, Vice President of the Indonesian Women’s Congress (KOWANI) and Ah Maftuchan, Executive Director of the Perkumpulan PRAKARSA.

#BRICSExpertCouncil #BRICSExpertCouncilRussia #CivilBRICS

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Digital platforms are reshaping the global economy

Digital platforms are emerging as fundamental components of the modern economic landscape, particularly within the BRICS nations. Yaroslav Kuzminov, Academic Supervisor of HSE University, underscores the need for a balanced approach to regulating these ecosystems, particularly in light of the current monopolisation seen in the United States and China. He believes that the presence of several large players in Russia fosters a healthier competitive landscape.

Kuzminov advocates for pragmatic antitrust measures that account for platforms' systemic impact across all economic sectors. He points to South Korea as a successful example, where an effective equilibrium has been struck between industry self-regulation and government oversight. According to the expert, Russia possesses considerable potential to develop a similar regulatory framework tailored to its unique characteristics.

By establishing clear guidelines and allowing for flexibility in regulation, the platform economy could become a powerful engine of growth, particularly for the #BRICS countries, as long as lessons from other nations are carefully considered.

#NEWS #OPINION

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🚨⚔️Global South strikes back: US tariff threats turning BRICS into full-fledged economic alliance

🇧🇷Brazilian President Lula da Silva’s “explicit call for a collective BRICS response to the latest US tariffs underscores the alliance's increasing cohesion and political assertiveness on the global stage,” Hong Kong-based political and financial Angelo Giuliano told Sputnik, commenting on the bloc’s surprise new show of unity in rejecting Washington’s tariff threats.

While details on specific countermeasures BRICS could take remain unclear, Giuliano can think of a whole series of steps, including:

🟠ramping up trade in local currencies
🟠“strengthening the operational capacity and lending power of the New Development Bank
🟠developing and promoting alternatives to SWIFT
🟠“mounting a coordinated challenge against US tariffs” through the WTO

“Cumulatively, these steps could significantly undermine the US dollar’s global dominance,” weakening Washington economically and “eroding” the “geopolitical leverage” it derives from its financial primacy, Giuliano says.

➕What’s more, the BRICS bloc didn’t arrive to this point overnight, the analyst stressed, pointing to the years the bloc spent on institution-building, and the growing collective economic power of its members, “amplified” even further by the recent expansion.

👉US provocations, from the latest tariffs to the persistent use of sanctions, has served to “galvanize unity within the bloc.”

👉US policymakers, who “significantly underestimated BRICS” for years and dismissing the bloc “as inherently fragmented and incapable of meaningful collective action,” are now finding out the hard way that this is no longer the case.

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Energy standoff: US trade relations with China and India at risk?

China is standing firm in defending its right to import oil from Russia and Iran, resisting US pressure to halt these energy supplies aimed at weakening geopolitical rivals. According to Victoria Panova, Head of the BRICS Expert Council-Russia and Vice Rector at HSE University, Beijing's stance is rooted in sovereignty, while US actions can be viewed as an attempt to constrain the development of Global South nations.

"We are not friends against anyone. BRICS is not directed against third countries. We traditionally have a positive agenda; even when creating alternative mechanisms, like a payment system, it’s not about opposing others but advancing the needs of the Global Majority. All #BRICS states clearly adhere to the principle that the group isn’t there to counter anyone," Victoria Panova emphasised.

"Sanctions against Russia have shown that those imposing them suffer first," she added. By deepening partnerships with Russia and Iran, China not only secures energy stability but also bolsters its global economic influence.

As US-China negotiations falter, Beijing’s unwavering defence of its interests could reshape the global balance of power.

#NEWS #BRICSExpertCouncil #BRICSExpertCouncilRussia

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6th UNICAMP International School on Development Challenges

UNICAMP's Institute of Economics has a long tradition in discussing topics associated with economic and social development. In order to broaden the debate with researchers from Brazil and abroad, UNICAMP has been annually organising International Winter Schools since 2019, with the aim of bringing together professors with great international academic recognition and providing graduate students with the opportunity to update and discuss relevant subjects related to development challenges for economic and social Development in the 21st century.

In 2025 we will hold the 6th edition of the UNICAMP International School on Development Challenges, together with the V BRICS Network University International School, and the 4rd BRICS Postgraduate Forum.

This year, the school will be devoted to discussions about #BRICS, the challenges and opportunities for the group in the current era of geopolitical tensions and commercial war.

⏰ Date: August 25-29
🖋️Organisation: Institute of Economics, UNICAMP, Brazil; BRICS Research Centre, Durban University of Technology (DUT), South Africa; HSE University, Moscow, Russia
📎 More information on the website

#ANNOUNCEMENT #Brazil #youth #website

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Lula da Silva to discuss BRICS' joint response to US tariffs with Xi Jinping, Modi

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva intends to hold telephone talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and later with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss a possible common response by BRICS member states to the actions by the US administration threatening countries for strengthening trade relations with Russia, the Brazilian president’s special advisor on international affairs, Celso Amorim, said.

"Talks among #BRICS countries are important, especially among those three, which are threatened with additional sanctions for trading with Russia," he stated.

An agreement in principle has already been reached between Brasilia and Beijing to hold talks following the Brazilian leader's conversation with the Indian prime minister, Amorim added.

That said, speaking about possible sanctions against Brazil for trade with Russia, Amorim previously emphasized in a conversation with CNN Brasil that Brasilia rejected the idea of unilateral sanctions and allowed their introduction only by the UN decision.

#NEWS #Brazil #China #India #sanctions

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The BRICS Expert Council-Russia warmly congratulates the people of Bolivia on the memorable date of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries, first initiated on 9 August 1898.

Over more than a century of history of our relations, Russia and Bolivia have developed an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect, which has become a solid foundation for political dialogue, trade and economic cooperation, scientific and technical exchange, and cultural interaction.

We emphasise the importance of Bolivia's participation in the #BRICS format as a partner country. Active interaction within the bloc contributes to strengthening multilateral dialogue, promoting sustainable development and expanding opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation in the international arena.

We are confident that cooperation between our countries will continue to develop in a spirit of constructivism and mutual respect.

#RussiaBolivia

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🗣US shot itself in the foot by targeting all BRICS countries at once

“This is the first instance that all the BRICS countries have been specifically targeted by a US president,” Dr. Raj Kumar Sharma told Sputnik, commenting on President Lula of Brazil’s plans to discuss a joint response to Trump’s new tariffs with bloc allies.

🔍This signals “that the US is worried about the potential of BRICS countries to shape a non-Western world order,” Sharma, a senior research fellow at the New Delhi-based NatStrat think tank, says, pointing out that Washington appears to now realize that the BRICS “can come together to push against” US hegemony.

“Washington may have underestimated BRICS. Initially, the group was largely dismissed by Western observers, particularly after economic slowdowns in some member countries. However, BRICS has persisted and even expanded, with a growing focus on challenging the US dollar's dominance in global trade and finance. This suggests a potential miscalculation by Washington regarding the group's long-term impact and influence,” the scholar says.

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Putin talks to president of Brazil over telephone

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva have had a telephone conversation, the Kremlin said.

"Vladimir Putin informed his Brazilian counterpart about the main results of the recent meeting with Special Envoy of the President of the United States, Steve Witkoff. The Brazilian president expressed support for the efforts aimed at helping resolve the Ukrainian crisis," the statement said.

The two heads of state also "confirmed their mutual commitment to further strengthening Russian-Brazilian strategic partnership relations, as well as cooperation within the framework of #BRICS."

The telephone conversation with the Brazilian president was the latest in a series of contacts between the Russian head of state and foreign leaders in recent days. As Putin's Aide Yury Ushakov previously said, Moscow is informing its friends and partners around the world about the results of Witkoff's visit to Russia on August 6, when he was received by President Putin.

Russia and the United States have agreed to hold a meeting of the leaders on August 15 in Alaska.

#NEWS #RussiaBrazil #USA #sanctions

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Comment by Alexander Sokolov, Deputy Director at the HSE Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge, Director at the International Research and Educational Foresight Centre, and Head of the UNESCO Chair on Future Studies:

"The Rio de Janeiro Declaration outlines several pivotal agreements that pave the way for enhanced collaboration between HSE University and the BRICS nations in the realm of science and technology, particularly in foresight studies. The document commends the efforts of the BRICS working groups focused on science, technology, and innovation, including the Science and Technology Foresight Group, coordinated by the HSE Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge," the expert noted.

Alexander Sokolov also pinpointed the need to develop AI:

"Another key focus highlighted in the Declaration is artificial intelligence that "represents a milestone opportunity to boost development towards a more prosperous future." Our institute initiated a foresight study, involving partners from various member states, to examine the future of artificial intelligence and identify related research priorities across #BRICS. This project already encompasses interviews with leading scientists from the BRICS nations, with plans underway to conduct a comprehensive expert survey. The findings will be presented at an international seminar on foresight in Brazil's capital at the end of October this year, as well as at our Annual Conference on Foresight and Science, Technology and Innovation Policy in November," he concluded.

#EXPERT #OPINION #summit

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In touch with BRICS: news digest

Your quick rundown of the most important BRICS updates

➖Russia ready to expand ties with Global South

➖Malaysia secured nearly $22.45 billion in investments from #BRICS countries

➖Russia and Malaysia considered BRICS a platform for aligning mutual interest interests

➖Victoria Panova took part in Jakarta Futures forum

➖BRICS Expert Council-Russia held a seminar for think tanks and civil society organisations in Indonesia

➖Lula da Silva to discuss BRICS' joint response to US tariffs with Xi Jinping, Modi

➖Putin talks to president of Brazil over telephone

#BRICSExpertCouncilDIGEST

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🔍Who did Putin brief on his meeting with Witkoff and upcoming summit with Trump?

His counterparts from the CIS and BRICS:

🇨🇳 President of China Xi Jinping
🇮🇳 Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi
🇿🇦 President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa
🇧🇷 President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
🇧🇾 President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko
🇺🇿 President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev
🇰🇿 President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
🇹🇯 President of Tajikistan Emomali Rakhmon
🇰🇬 President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov

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