Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping began talks on Monday in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, as a two-day summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) commenced. The summit, which marks the SCO's 25th anniversary, brings together a dozen heads of state, including Iran's Masoud Pezeshkian, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan, India's Narendra Modi, and Pakistan's Shehbaz Sharif. The SCO, originally focused on economic issues, has gained momentum under the leadership of Moscow and Beijing, aiming to present a united front against the West.
Summit Highlights and Key Discussions
The summit takes place amid significant global tensions, four-and-a-half years into Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and six months into the war between Washington and Tehran. Putin and Xi, who last met in May, used the SCO platform to promote their vision of a multipolar world. Xi expressed his happiness at seeing Putin, noting the solidification of Russia-China ties and their bright prospects. Putin reciprocated, stating that cooperation is successfully developing on all fronts.
Economic Dependencies and Global Implications
Russia's economy has become increasingly reliant on China during its prolonged Ukraine invasion, a fact Western countries have urged Beijing to address by pressuring Moscow to end its offensive. The Kremlin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, indicated that the Ukraine war was only discussed 'in passing' during the talks. Additionally, Putin is expected to hold separate talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, whose country has deepened military and economic ties with Russia since the invasion.
The SCO, which now includes 15 dialogue partners and two observer countries, represents approximately 40 percent of the world's population and 25 percent of global GDP. Despite its diversity and occasional disagreements among members, the bloc continues to grow in influence. The summit occurs as some SCO members face real wars or trade wars, including the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, and the imposition of US tariffs on Chinese and Indian goods.
Iran, under sanctions since 1979, faces new US secondary sanctions targeting its trading partners in various sectors. China, a major importer of Iranian oil, has vowed to 'firmly defend' its interests. Tehran believes its active participation in alliances like the SCO can help circumvent US and European sanctions, though the concrete benefits remain uncertain. The summit underscores the SCO's role in global geopolitics and its potential to influence international relations.
