Leaders of Russia, China, Iran to attend summit in Kyrgyzstan
Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping are expected in Central Asia's Kyrgyzstan Monday for a two-day summit, also attended by Iran's and India's leaders, of a regional bloc seeking to be a counter-influence to the West. Around a dozen heads of states will head to the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek to mark 25 years of the Shanghai Cooperation Group (SCO). The group brings together Russia, China,…
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan will host a two-day summit on August 31, 2023, where Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will gather. Additionally, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will participate in the meeting, which marks the 25th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
The SCO, consisting of Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, four Central Asian countries, and Belarus, aims to be a counter-influence to the West. The summit is taking place four and a half years into Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and six months into the conflict between Washington and Tehran. During the summit, Putin is expected to hold bilateral talks with Pezeshkian and Xi.
Despite being among the most sanctioned states, Russia and Iran have significantly strengthened their military and economic ties during the Ukraine war. US President Donald Trump has cautioned both Moscow and Beijing against arming Iran. The SCO, which now has 15 dialogue partners, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, has primarily focused on economic issues and has occasionally showcased anti-Western sentiments during summits.
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