The heads of state and government of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) met virtually this Tuesday for a summit chaired by India, at which the heads of state and government of China and Russia – two of the founding states – once again said their good Harmony is about promoting an alternative model to what they see as a United States-led world order. Although the event’s 23rd edition comes in a year in which Beijing has started to take a more proactive role as a player of international importance, Moscow has been the center of attention. Meeting in front of his Asian counterparts was more important than ever for Vladimir Putin, who on the one hand had to show the world that his government had appeased any attempt to challenge them after the Wagner mercenary group uprising, and on the other hand, the sanctions imposed by the West imposed on your country by invading Ukraine has not completely isolated it.
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Putin used his first international appearance since Yevgeny Prigozhin’s rebellion against the Russian Defense Ministry leadership to project a picture of strength and allay any doubts that had surfaced on June 24 that he had the situation under control. Speaking to the leaders of several friendly nations, Putin assured via video conference that “the Russian people are more united than ever” and that “political circles and society as a whole have shown solidarity and a great sense of responsibility for fate.” the homeland by reacting as a united front against the attempted armed insurrection”.
The Russian President also thanked “colleagues from the SCO countries who have supported the actions of the Russian government” and assured that his country will resist sanctions and “Western provocations”. Attendees at the telematics meeting included his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping; Belarusian, Alexander Lukashenko; and Iranian Ebrahim Raisí; and the leaders of four former Soviet republics in Central Asia over which Moscow wields enormous influence.
The SCO is a platform founded in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan with the aim of countering terrorism and promoting border security. The organization has grown in recent years as part of Xi and Putin’s growing efforts to promote an alternative model of dialogue to the West, deepen security and economic cooperation, and fight drug trafficking. India and Pakistan joined in 2017, and this Tuesday Iran officially joined. All of these nations either share a border with Russia, or maintain diplomatic interests or strong economic ties with the country. While many advocate a broader geopolitical game, the region covered by the SCO – much of Eurasia and about 40% of the world’s population – is largely determined by a web of interests and allegiances that present certain obstacles to cooperation.
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In his speech, Xi Jinping specifically called for “mutual trust” and emphasized the need for unity and cooperation. The Chinese president has gone a step further, urging his counterparts to resist outside influences: “We must formulate an independent foreign policy based on the region’s general and long-term interests, and firmly grasp the future and development fate of the region.” have a grip.” and progress of our countries,” reports the state news agency Xinhua. The leader of the world’s second largest economy used a phrase in his speeches that has become commonplace: “Today’s world is full of chaos and is facing changes unprecedented in a century.” Humanity faces unprecedented challenges. unit or division? peace or conflict? Cooperation or confrontation? Xi called for “taking the right direction to protect the peace.”
His statements come just two weeks after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who chaired the meeting, was honored in Washington by US President Joe Biden. Though New Delhi-Moscow relations have remained strong throughout the war (the country did not condemn the invasion, has bought record amounts of Russian oil and sourced 60% of its defense hardware from Russia), the United States has long courted India as a strong counterbalance to the rise of China. Meanwhile, distrust between the world’s two most populous countries continues to grow: India and China have been engaged in a bitter confrontation on their shared border for the past three years, involving thousands of soldiers stationed across the Ladakh region. In addition, Beijing believes that India’s membership in the Quad (the security dialogue with the United States, Australia and Japan) is aimed at hampering its interests in the Indo-Pacific.
For his part, Modi defined the organization as an “important platform for peace, prosperity and development of the entire Eurasian region” and welcomed Belarus for signing the pledge to become a full member of “the family”. Belarus played a key role in the Putin crisis; It was Lukashenko who made a deal with Prigozhin to stop his men’s advance towards Moscow and allowed him to settle in his country.
Despite its words of praise for the SCO, India did not explain why the meeting was held virtually, unlike last year, which lasted two days in Samarkand, Uzbekistan and featured a series of bilateral meetings between the leaders in attendance. Some analysts believe Modi, who juggles India’s East-West ties, could not afford to pose alongside Xi and Putin, having recently posed with Biden and signed a joint statement in which both said their Expressed concern about the conflict in Ukraine and “use coercion”. Actions and Rising Tensions” in the Indo-Pacific. India will host the G-20 meeting in September.
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