Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Kyrgyzstan on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, where they reaffirmed their strategic alliance amid global uncertainty. This meeting, their first since May, took place on Monday. Xi expressed his happiness to meet Putin again, stating that the bilateral ties between China and Russia have grown 'more solid.' He noted that this strengthening of relations should continue despite increased 'uncertainty and unpredictability in the international order.' Xi emphasized that there are 'even brighter' prospects for future relations between the two nations.
Putin agreed with Xi, stating that 'cooperation is successfully developing on all fronts.' The two-day SCO summit in Bishkek marks the 25th anniversary of the regional security and economic grouping, attended by over a dozen heads of state, including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The summit occurs four-and-a-half years into Russia's invasion of Ukraine and six months into the conflict involving the United States and Iran. Putin and Xi have previously used SCO summits to advocate for a multipolar world and to present a united front against Western influence.
Due to Western sanctions related to the invasion of Ukraine, Russia's economy has become increasingly reliant on China, prompting calls from Western nations for Beijing to pressure Moscow to cease its military actions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated that the discussions between the two leaders primarily focused on economic relations, with only brief mentions of the Ukraine conflict.
Putin also met with Modi, who expressed New Delhi's willingness to contribute to ending the conflict in Ukraine. Putin mentioned that Moscow is 'following the path' toward a resolution, although he did not provide further details. Peace talks mediated by the United States remain stalled, but reports suggested that CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow for discussions.
Putin is also expected to hold separate discussions with Pezeshkian. Both Russia and Iran have faced significant sanctions and have strengthened military and economic ties since the onset of the Ukraine invasion, with Iran supplying drones for Russia's military efforts.
US President Donald Trump has cautioned Moscow and Beijing against providing arms to Iran. Following recent exchanges of fire between the United States and Iran, Pezeshkian stated that continuing the war is not in Tehran's interests, advocating for a path of agreement and understanding.
Putin, Xi, Pezeshkian, Modi, and Sharif are scheduled to participate in a plenary session chaired by Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov. The SCO, now comprising 10 member states and 15 dialogue partners, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, claims to represent approximately 40 percent of the world's population and 25 percent of global GDP, despite internal disagreements among its members.