Published on: 09/17/2022 – 00:57
During this SCO summit, the leaders of countries with strained relations with the United States in Samarkand showed their closeness and desire to create a counterbalance to the West, but there were also tensions over Moscow military involvement in Ukraine.
With our correspondent in Moscow, Anissa El Jabri
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ilham Aliyev, Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko sit laughing at a well-filled table, behind them are their advisors. The leaders of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Russia and Belarus shared a moment of relaxation in Samarkand. This is one of the most commented photos of this summit.
Another symbol, the Chinese and Russian Presidents side by side. Vladimir Putin wanted to show that he is not isolated and is part of a coalition uniting against the US.
“The time is not for war”
In reality, this beautiful entity showed its first limitations when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarked to the Russian President that “the time is not for war”. Regarding the presence of Russian soldiers in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin also told his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping: “We understand your questions and concerns in this regard”.
China’s support for Russia is there, but Beijing is keeping its word and doing nothing, refusing any exports of industrial components or arms shipments so far. So it was left to Vladimir Putin to show that he certainly controls the time. “We are in no hurry,” he told the Russian press.