Erdogan says Turkey's SCO bid won't abandon Western ties
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in Bishkek on 2 September that Turkey's push for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will not mean abandoning its Western partnerships, and he urged a swift, peaceful end to the Russia-Ukraine war and greater Black Sea maritime security. The summit, which began on 31 August in Bishkek, brought together leaders of the ten SCO member states and several dialogue partners, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to AP. Putin arrived in Kyrgyzstan for the meeting and held a series of bilateral talks with the heads of China, India and other countries, the Moscow Times reported.
At the summit, Putin and Xi reaffirmed that their strategic partnership remains strong, Al Jazeera said. Putin also met with leaders of China, Iran, India and Turkey, underscoring Russia's reliance on a limited group of partners, Newsweek noted. Meanwhile, Xi held a brief, low-profile meeting with Iran’s president, CNBC reported.
