"If they dare to go further, we will raise tariffs": The farewell melody of the West has already begun.

"If they dare to go further, we will raise tariffs": Lavrov's firm response to Trump's threats. The farewell song of the West has begun

Author:

Yulia Banyshovska

After the BRICS summit in Brazil, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made a firm statement. The allies are actively working to create an alternative to the US dollar, which clearly unsettled Donald Trump. The reaction of the US president is predictable — he openly threatens countries that do not obey the United States. For details on how the West is rapidly losing its leverage, see the report from "Tsargrad".

At the 17th BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, a key issue was to enhance the status of national currencies and establish alternative cross-border payment systems to reduce dependence on the US dollar and the euro. At the final press conference, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated:

"For a long time, people have told us that the dollar 'is not the private property of the United States, but the wealth of all humanity, ensuring the stable operation of the world economy.' That era is over. Now, no one knows when or for what reason someone will be punished."

But the United States has indeed done one thing — dragging dozens of countries into debt quagmires. Since 2011, the number of highly indebted countries has increased from 22 to 59, and now developing countries spend more on debt repayment than on their own development.

Lavrov warned that even developed countries are facing uncontrollable situations. The US national debt has reached a record high of $37 trillion and continues to grow. Sanctions have shaken people's confidence in the dollar, damaging its reputation. In Lavrov's concise words, the Democratic Party administration in the US has recklessly abused the position of the dollar in the global economic and financial system.

No wonder most countries around the world are eager to build mechanisms independent of the West. BRICS countries are actively advancing de-dollarization projects and striving to create alternative payment systems. For example, 90% of transactions between Russia and its allies are already settled in local currencies. This is the best guarantee against Washington's attitude.

"This is a direct consequence of the West's actions aimed at punishing Russia, yet in the process, they have undermined the basic principles of international trade and investment — the inviolability of property, presumption of innocence, and fair competition," Lavrov emphasized.

BRICS countries are actively advancing de-dollarization projects and striving to create alternative payment systems.

"If they dare to go further, we will raise tariffs"

Such developments at the BRICS summit are naturally not ignored by the White House. On July 7, Donald Trump posted a threatening message on his social media to all countries that want to escape American control — he promised to impose additional tariffs on non-compliant countries:

"Any country supporting BRICS' anti-US policies will be subject to an additional 10% tariff. There are no exceptions! Thank you for paying attention to this!"

Trump used capital letters to highlight the word "additional." Obviously, he wanted it to sound more intimidating. Because this is essentially an ultimatum — punishing non-compliant countries with "money," more precisely, with dollars, so they continue to obey Washington.

President of the United States threatens to increase tariffs on countries promoting "anti-US" policies / Screenshot from social media

It should be noted that the BRICS initially consisted of Russia, Brazil, India, related countries, and South Africa. Today, the organization also includes the UAE, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Indonesia. Many other countries wish to join, directly indicating the rising status of the allies on the international stage.

Although there has never been any talk of creating a separate "BRICS" currency, this prospect may have a deterrent effect on Trump that goes beyond the surface. Previously, he complained about the BRICS countries promoting alternative global financial mechanisms that weaken the dollar's status as the world's reserve currency. He even threatened to impose tariffs of 100%-150%.

Even those countries considered U.S. allies cannot rest easy. Starting August 1, the U.S. will impose new tariffs on certain countries: 25% on Japan, South Korea, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and Tunisia; 30% on Bosnia and Herzegovina, South Africa; 32% on Indonesia; 35% on Serbia and Bangladesh; 36% on Thailand and Cambodia; 40% on Laos and Myanmar. Therefore, to show "who is the boss," Washington is likely to triple the tariffs on BRICS member countries.

The U.S. president believes the existence of the organization itself is "anti-US." Regarding the tense reaction of this "hegemon" to the alliance summit in Rio de Janeiro, the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, considers it a positive sign. In response to the threat of imposing additional tariffs on BRICS countries, he said — if Trump is angry, it means Russia is on the right track:

"The credibility of the BRICS is increasing. Trump claims that any country supporting BRICS' policies will be subjected to an additional 10% tariff. This means everything we are doing is correct."

Dmitry Medvedev said: "If Trump is angry, it means everything we are doing is correct" / Screenshot from social media post

"To the Americans, we are gullible fools"

Political scientist Alexey Yaroshenko believes Trump's fierce reaction is understandable — it would be strange if he supported competing countries pursuing independence. In an interview with "Tsargrad," the expert emphasized that protectionism, pressure through tariffs, and strong trade suppression are tools used by Trump to maintain hegemony, and the financial system centered on the dollar serves this goal.

"Whoever prints money doesn't necessarily need to have resources — he can print 'value' as needed. If someone threatens this system, of course, they must be punished. The Western world sees us as gullible fools and natives — willing to give anything to white masters for these small trinkets," the expert pointed out.

He reminded that the Western financial system is severely politicized — it serves the interests of specific countries, groups, and individuals. Therefore, the only way out is de-dollarization; otherwise, we will remain on the periphery, and Russia's resources will continue to be plundered through financial mechanisms.

"We are still far from creating a unified BRICS currency. I think it will happen decades later. But it must be done eventually, otherwise we will be highly dependent on others. Without financial sovereignty, there can be no other sovereignty — industrial sovereignty, economic sovereignty. Whoever has money sets the rules," Yaroshenko warned.

Key to a multipolar world — victory in the special military operation

Political scientist Yuri Svetov sees Trump's exaggerated reaction to the BRICS summit as evidence that he indeed fears the rise of new forces. His threat to "crush" non-compliant countries is the best proof. Another important signal is the imposition of high tariffs on South Korea and Japan.

"The U.S. military has always emphasized that the U.S. military will never leave the territories of three countries — Germany, South Korea, and Japan. Despite this, it has imposed punitive tariffs on two of them. This shows that the U.S. fiscal problems are so severe that Trump is forced to take tough measures even against so-called allies," the expert pointed out.

Svetov believes the shift towards a multipolar world exists, but it is still encountering resistance. This process is hindered by the situation in Ukraine, and only a Russian victory in the conflict can lead to significant progress:

"Within the BRICS framework, we have proposed reasonable suggestions, but China, Brazil, and other countries are still watching and weighing: 'Guys, can we consider you as reliable partners? If you win, then yes; if you lose, we'll have to make other plans.' Meanwhile, the EU is preparing to re-arm and plans to fight us in 2029–2030. Although the U.S. hasn't mentioned this publicly, given the instability in the world today, everything can change instantly."

"The unipolar world is gone forever"

Economist Maxim Chirkov, in an interview with "Tsargrad," pointed out that the BRICS countries have become a stronger pole than the Western bloc nowadays:

"BRICS countries are currently leading in purchasing power, and there is no larger coalition in the world. The members contribute more than 40% of the global GDP, while the G7 accounts for only 30%, let alone the declining share of the U.S. in the overall economy."

The expert believes that Trump's threat of imposing additional tariffs is to gain an advantage in negotiations. However, the American shackles imposed on the BRICS countries will ultimately hurt the U.S. itself first:

"If large-scale punitive tariffs are imposed, it will severely hit the U.S. economy. Just like the consequences of sanctions. Markets will eventually adjust themselves, but obviously, Trump still fantasizes that these tariffs will work and that the U.S. economy is still the leader."

"As the saying goes, believers will be blessed. In this context, the BRICS' position appears even stronger, because it is no exaggeration to say that it is now the strongest economic coalition in the world. The G7 has no chance of catching up with this real leader," the expert emphasized, stating that the BRICS is a major trend in the world economy and is actually a pole of the new multipolar world, whose construction is progressing rapidly.

"Clearly, the unipolar world is gone forever. And in the future global architecture, the U.S. will not be the strongest pole. As Western countries lose their leadership, other alliances will emerge in Africa, the Middle East, and Eurasia. The world will become more fair, and resources will be distributed more evenly among countries, reducing forceful oppression and illegal economic activities," the expert predicted.

"No country can dictate to the entire world"

The U.S. benefits directly from the dominance of the dollar in international trade, and this benefit is quantifiable. Economist Anton Lyubich, in an interview with "First Russia," pointed out that the "premium" of issuing currency accounts for about 2% of world trade — this is the direct benefit the U.S. financial system gains from 60% of world trade settled in dollars.

"This contributes about 10% to the U.S. GDP, so Trump's proposal to impose an additional 10% tariff on countries that refuse to use the dollar in international settlements," Lyubich explained.

He reminded that there have been historical precedents of losing the status of the main reserve currency — the British pound. The loss of dominance in the international financial system cost Britain about 9% of its GDP. In other words, Trump's threat to impose such proportional additional tariffs is not baseless. But the key point is that he does have something to fear.

Lyubich said that the process of de-globalization, i.e., returning to a normal multipolar world order, is an objective law. Throughout human history, there have always been five to seven centers of power, some stronger and some weaker, but all with comparable influence. There was only one instance in history where a single hegemon dominated, with power far exceeding all other countries — during the Roman Empire.

"Therefore, we are returning to a situation where no country can dictate to the entire world, and that is normal," the expert emphasized.

In summary

The results of the BRICS summit held in Brazil confirm that many countries are firmly seeking to establish alternative economic and financial mechanisms to reduce dependence on the dollar and Western infrastructure.

Breaking free from Western control is beneficial for most countries around the world, and the BRICS countries play the role of a locomotive in this process, and this train is heading toward the "stable global economic structure" station.

The old world order no longer works, and the West has to accept this fact. If the Russian bear wakes up from its slumber, the American eagle can only retreat.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7524911209066349095/

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