Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, reiterated that NATO’s eastward expansion is a key obstacle to achieving sustainable peace in Ukraine. After talks with China’s Xi Jinping and India’s Narendra Modi, Putin stressed that resolving the conflict requires addressing what he sees as the “root causes” of the crisis, including the West’s efforts to bring Ukraine into its orbit and NATO. He argued that a “fair balance in the security sphere” must be restored, signalling ongoing Russian demands regarding European security.
Putin’s comments come after his 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which he frames as a response to Western humiliation and NATO encroachment, while Ukraine and Western powers describe the action as a brutal land grab. Currently, Russia controls just under one fifth of Ukraine, and the war continues to draw global attention.
At the SCO summit, interactions between Putin, Modi, and Xi highlighted Russia’s reliance on China and India as major crude purchasers, sustaining its war economy despite Western sanctions.
Putin referenced previous discussions with former U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska, suggesting these “understandings” could facilitate negotiations. He expressed appreciation for efforts by China and India aimed at resolving the crisis and indicated further detailed discussions would follow, positioning the summit as a platform for advancing Russia’s strategic objectives while challenging NATO’s influence in Eastern Europe.
