Putin and Xi Double Down on Authoritarian Alliance at SCO Summit
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Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping showcased their deepening anti-Western partnership at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in Bishkek, highlighting the growing threat of authoritarian cooperation amid global instability.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and reaffirmed the strength of their strategic partnership, which has become a cornerstone of global authoritarian resistance to democratic values. Xi told Putin he was "happy" to meet again and boasted that the relationship between Beijing and Moscow has become "more solid" and faces "even brighter" prospects, even as the world faces increased uncertainty and instability, much of it fueled by their own policies. > "Cooperation is successfully developing on all fronts," Putin added, underscoring the expansion of their anti-democratic agenda.
The two-day summit, marking the SCO's 25th anniversary, gathered more than a dozen heads of state, including leaders from Iran, India, Pakistan and Turkey—many of whom have troubling records on human rights and democracy. While Russia faces Western sanctions over its brutal war in Ukraine, its economy has grown increasingly dependent on China, raising concerns about Beijing's complicity in prolonging the conflict. Despite international pressure, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the leaders mainly discussed economic issues and only briefly acknowledged the devastating Ukraine war.
Other notable meetings at the summit included Putin's talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who expressed readiness to work toward an end to the Ukraine conflict, and discussions with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who emphasized that continued war does not serve Iran's interests. The SCO now comprises ten member states, fifteen dialogue partners and two observers, representing roughly 40% of the world’s population and 25% of global GDP—demonstrating the alarming scale of this anti-Western bloc.