Amid tensions with the US and the West, Russia and China are trying to close ranks. Presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping plan to meet in Uzbekistan on Thursday for the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine. Both leaders have already arrived in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, to attend the two-day summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
The group of eight states, led by China and Russia, has made security and cooperation their priority and aims to create an alternative to what they see as a western-dominated world order. According to Russian sources, Putin’s talks with Xi Jinping will revolve around the conflict in Ukraine.
Both presidents met shortly before the start of the war for the opening of the Winter Olympics in Beijing in early February and pledged their “boundless” friendship. Since then, China has supported Russia and portrayed the US and NATO as the main culprits in the war. Xi Jinping is counting on the partnership with Putin to jointly confront growing tensions with rival US.
Russia wants to polish its image
For the Russian president, the summit with a total of 15 heads of state and government is important for image reasons. From a Russian point of view, the photos of the meeting are intended to show that Russia is not internationally isolated after the invasion of Ukraine. Putin also wanted to meet with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday. Putin plans to meet on Friday with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Putin wants to talk to Erdogan about the implementation of the grain agreement. Turkey is a facilitator in the deal that has unlocked Ukraine’s seaports after months of Russian naval blockade. The resumption of Ukrainian grain exports aims to alleviate the global food crisis. However, according to Russian information, most of the grain does not go to poor countries, but to Europe. In addition, Moscow complains that sanctions against Russia’s fertilizer and food industries continue, at least indirectly.
Putin will give a speech about visions
At Friday’s Council of SCO leaders meeting, Putin will deliver a speech about his vision for the future of the organization, Tass news agency reported. Initially established in 2001 primarily for the purpose of counter-terrorism, the group now includes Russia, China, India and Pakistan, as well as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
The group wants to expand at its peak: Iran, which previously had observer status, is accepted as the ninth member. The organization also advises on the admission of Belarus, which, like Mongolia, has observer status. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey are classified as partner countries. According to Chinese information, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar are also hoping for membership.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
