But cracks quickly appeared in solidarity at the summit, with India’s prime minister telling Putin it was “not the time” for the conflict in Ukraine. Adding to the tension, the forces of two countries — Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan — engaged in fierce border clashes while their leaders were present. Washington said Putin’s comments at the summit about China and India’s handling of “concerns” about Ukraine increased pressure on Russia to end its military offensive. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting in former Soviet Uzbekistan brought Putin and Xi together with the leaders of SCO members India, Pakistan and four Central Asian states, as well as the presidents of Iran and Turkey. Get The Times of Israel Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories By signing up, you agree to the terms Putin and Xi met on Thursday for their first face-to-face talks since Russia sent troops to Ukraine in February and the Chinese leader’s first trip abroad since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pose for a photo shaking hands before their talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. (Alexander Demyanchuk, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) The summit was proposed by the Kremlin as an alternative to “Western-centric organizations”, at a time of growing pressure in Moscow over Ukraine and growing anger in Beijing over US support for Taiwan. Xi told the assembled leaders that it was time to reshape the international system and “abandon zero-sum games and bloc politics.” They should “work together to promote the development of the international order in a more just and rational direction,” Xi told a joint meeting.
“New centers of power”
Putin welcomed the growing influence of countries outside the West, blasting what he called “protectionist instruments, illegal sanctions and economic selfishness”. “The growing role of the new centers of power cooperating with each other … is becoming more and more clear,” Putin said. The summit was Putin’s first major international outing since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in February, sparking a conflict that has left thousands dead and Russia hit by waves of economic sanctions. Not everything went smoothly for the Russian leader. In this photo provided by the Turkish Presidency, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan, center left, speaks with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Russia Vladimir Putin, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Thursday, September 15, 2022. (Turkish Presidency via AP) In their talks, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Putin: “Your Excellency, I know that today is not a time for war.” Putin told Modi he was aware of India’s “concerns” about the conflict, echoing language he had used with Xi the day before. “We will do our best to end this as soon as possible,” Putin said, accusing Kyiv of rejecting negotiations. “I think what you’re hearing from China, from India, reflects concerns around the world about the effects of Russian aggression in Ukraine,” US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in Washington. “I think it increases the pressure on Russia to end the attack.”
Putin is “in no hurry” for Ukraine
But Putin later said Russia was in no rush to complete military action. “Our offensive operations in Donbass itself do not stop. They are advancing at a slow pace … the Russian army is occupying newer and newer territories,” Putin told a news conference at the end of the summit. “We’re in no rush … there are no changes.” The SCO — which also includes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan — was founded in 2001 as a political, economic and security organization to compete with Western institutions. Members and other leaders attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. (Sergei Bobylev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) The team is far from fully united. The leaders of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan were forced to meet at the summit to order their forces to withdraw after deadly clashes along their disputed border sparked fears of an all-out conflict. Putin and Xi also met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who told the assembled leaders that efforts were being made “to end the conflict in Ukraine through diplomacy as soon as possible.” Putin told Erdogan, who has been a key broker in limited deals between Russia and Ukraine, that Moscow wanted to build closer ties with Turkey and was ready to “significantly increase” all exports to the country. For Putin, the summit was an attempt to show he is not completely isolated on the world stage at a time when his forces in Ukraine are facing major battlefield setbacks. For Xi, it was a chance to shore up his credentials as a global politician ahead of a key ruling Communist Party congress in October, where he is widely expected to secure an unprecedented third term as president. You are a devoted reader We are really glad that you read X Times of Israel articles last month. That’s why we started the Times of Israel ten years ago – to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world. So now we have a request. Unlike other media, we have not set up a paywall. But because the journalism we do is expensive, we invite readers to whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community. For just $6 a month you can support our quality journalism by enjoying Times of Israel ADS-FREE, as well as access to exclusive content available only to members of the Times of Israel Community. Thank you, David Horowitz, founding editor of the Times of Israel Join our community Join our community Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
