Putin Highlights Russia’s Unity and SCO’s Role in International Affairs

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During a virtual meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) hosted by India, President Vladimir Putin expressed confidence in Russia’s unity, emphasizing that the Russian people were more united than ever before. Putin’s attendance at this rare multilateral summit came after a brief armed uprising in Russia, and he aimed to demonstrate that the West’s attempts to isolate Moscow over its 2022 invasion of Ukraine have failed.

The SCO, initially established by Russia and China to counter Western alliances, welcomed Iran as its newest member, expanding its membership to nine nations. Speaking from the Kremlin via video link, Putin commended the organization for its increasing significance in international affairs. He acknowledged the SCO’s contributions to maintaining peace, stability, sustainable economic growth, and strengthening relationships among participating states.

Expressing gratitude to member states for their support during the short-lived armed mutiny led by Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, Putin criticized the West for turning Ukraine into a virtually hostile state and frequently denounced Western support for Ukraine in the war. This summit provided an opportunity for Putin to assert his control following the insurrection, dispelling concerns about divisions within Russian elites.

The other speakers at the summit avoided direct references to the war in Ukraine while discussing its global repercussions. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his opening speech, addressed challenges related to food, fuel, and fertilizer supplies but did not mention the Ukrainian conflict. Trade disruptions in these areas have been caused by the ongoing war. Modi also indirectly criticized Pakistan, emphasizing the need to jointly combat terrorism without explicitly naming the country. India regularly accuses Pakistan of supporting and training insurgent groups, which Islamabad denies.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned terrorism and defended his country’s role in fighting it. He acknowledged the region’s ongoing struggle against terrorism while cautioning against using it for diplomatic point-scoring. Sharif also praised the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, highlighting its potential to bring connectivity, stability, peace, and prosperity to the region.

The SCO includes the Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, all former Soviet republics with deep Russian influence. India and Pakistan joined as members in 2017, while Belarus is expected to become a member soon.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi expressed the historical benefits of Iran’s official membership in the SCO. While not mentioning the war in Ukraine, Raisi believed that the organization was well-positioned to promote political and economic cooperation. He expressed hope that Iran’s membership would contribute to collective security, respect for member nations’ sovereignty, sustainable development, and addressing environmental threats.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres acknowledged that the summit took place amid growing global challenges and risks. He highlighted the increasing divisions and geopolitical tensions, attributing them in part to diverging approaches to global crises, differing views on nontraditional security threats, and the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged SCO members to work towards long-term peace and stability in the region. He emphasized China’s desire to align its Belt and Road Initiative with other nations’ development strategies and regional cooperation initiatives, despite criticism in the West regarding the project’s potential debt burden on smaller countries.

Prior to the summit, Indian Prime Minister Modi held a telephone conversation with President Putin, where he reiterated the importance of dialogue and diplomacy between Russia and Ukraine. India has refrained from condemning Russia’s war in Ukraine and abstained from voting on U.N. resolutions against Russia.

Although the SCO continues to expand, the group faces the risk of conflicting interests or conflicts among member states. India and Pakistan have a history of tense relations due to the disputed region of Kashmir, while India and China have been engaged in a standoff along their disputed border in the eastern Ladakh region. Additionally, Russia’s increasing reliance on China amid the Ukrainian conflict could potentially complicate India’s relationship with its Cold War ally in the long run.

Contributions to this report were made by Munir Ahmed in Islamabad, Dasha Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia, and Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran.

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• Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
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• India’s stance on Ukraine conflict