Leaders from more than a dozen countries, including Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi and Masoud Pezeshkian, met Monday in Kyrgyzstan for the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a group presented as a counterweight to American influence.

First modification: 08/31/2026 - 23:30 Last modification: 09/01/2026 - 04:04

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Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping began talks on Monday, August 31 in Kyrgyzstan, where a dozen heads of state also met for a two-day summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which seeks to be a counterweight to the West.

Iranian leader Masoud Pezeshkian, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan, India's Narendra Modi and Pakistan's Shehbaz Sharif were also among those attending the summit of the SCO regional bloc in Bishkek, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

The summit takes place four and a half years after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and six months after the start of the war between Washington and Tehran.

Putin and Xi have previously used SCO summits to promote their vision of a multipolar world and present a united front against the West.

Xi told Putin he was "glad" to see him and said ties between Russia and China have become "more solid" and their "prospects will become even brighter."

"Obviously, the degree of uncertainty and unpredictability in the international order has increased," declared the Chinese leader.

Meanwhile, Putin told Xi: "Cooperation is developing successfully on all fronts." The two last met in May.

The Russian economy has become increasingly dependent on China during the invasion of Ukraine. Western countries have called on Beijing to pressure Moscow to end its offensive.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov told Russian media that the two only talked about the war in Ukraine "in passing."

Putin also met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and both leaders arrived in the same vehicle for the talks.

The Russian president stated that Moscow was "following the path" towards resolving the conflict in Ukraine, without giving further details.

Peace talks, mediated by the United States, remain stalled.

Putin was also expected to hold separate talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Russia and Iran, two of the most sanctioned states in the world, have greatly strengthened their military and economic ties since Moscow invaded Ukraine.

Read alsoPutin-Xi Summit: China and Russia join in criticizing the US and demand reactivating dialogue with Iran

War "does not suit us"

US President Donald Trump has warned Moscow and Beijing not to arm Iran.

Putin's meeting with Pezeshkian will take place days after CIA Director John Ratcliffe made a rare trip to Moscow. American media speculated that he may have discussed Ukraine and Iran with his Russian counterparts.

Speaking in Bishkek following the first exchange of attacks between the United States and Iran in a month, Pezeshkian said that continuing the war was not in Tehran's interest.

"We continue to strive to find a path of agreement and understanding and believe that continuing the war is not in the interest of us or the region," he told the Indian prime minister.

Putin, Xi, Pezeshkian, Modi and Sharif will participate in a plenary session chaired by Kyrgyz leader Sadyr Japarov.

The SCO has historically focused on economic issues, but has gained momentum in recent years under the leadership of Moscow and Beijing.

In addition to its 10 members, it now has 15 "dialogue partners," including Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

It also has two observer countries: Afghanistan and Mongolia.

Read alsoXi and Putin ratify an "unbreakable" relationship that is proof of global turbulence

Real and trade wars

The Bishkek summit comes at a time when some SCO members are embroiled in real wars – the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran – or in trade wars, with the imposition of US tariffs on Chinese and Indian goods.

This month, the United States imposed secondary sanctions on Iran's trading partners in the gold, technology, digital assets, aviation and shipping sectors, aiming to cripple Tehran's economy.

Washington has also threatened Iran's allies with sanctions.

China, a major importer of Iranian oil, responded by saying it would "firmly defend" its interests.

Iran, which has lived under sanctions since its 1979 revolution ended with the Islamic authorities taking power, has repeatedly stated that it will not bow to economic pressure.

But Pezeshkian has acknowledged that his country faces "economic difficulties."

Iran did not join the bloc until 2023.

But the concrete benefits of the group are uncertain, he said, since "in times of crisis, these alliances have rarely allowed Iran to resolve its difficulties."

While the bloc claims to represent around 40% of the world's population and 25% of global GDP, it remains diverse and there are disagreements among its members.

Read also “Sanctions seek to put Iran at the negotiating table”: Treasury Secretary

With AFP

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