Rio de janeiro: Russia on Monday stated that the cooperation within BRICS has never been and will never be directed against third countries. This statement came as US President Donald Trump threatened to impose additional tariffs on nations aligning with the economic bloc.

According to Anadolu Agency, the BRICS summit commenced in Rio de Janeiro, where Trump issued a warning that countries aligning with what he termed as "anti-American policies" of BRICS will face an additional 10% tariff. Trump made this declaration on Truth Social, emphasizing that there would be no exceptions to this policy.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov addressed a press briefing, acknowledging Trump's statements. In response to inquiries, Peskov articulated that BRICS is an association of countries with shared approaches and a common worldview on cooperation based on their own interests. He reiterated that the group's interaction has not and will not target third countries.

The 17th BRICS summit, spanning two days, began on Sunday, with Russia represented by a delegation led by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The bloc, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia as full members.