Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and other regional leaders at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, July 3.
According to Ziare this gathering underscores Russia's strategic alliances amid shifting global dynamics.
Signing 24 documents
Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov announced that, besides Xi and Erdogan, Putin will also hold talks with leaders from Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan. Additionally, Putin plans several brief bilateral meetings, including one with Iran's interim President Mohammad Mokhber.
The SCO summit will feature the signing of 24 documents, including a final declaration outlining participants' stances on current regional and international issues. The summit will also approve proposals for a comprehensive modernization of SCO activities to align with present-day realities.
First time in Turkey
Moscow views the SCO and the BRICS group as foundational elements of a "new world order." Initially comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, BRICS expanded this year to include Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, and Iran. The SCO's membership includes Russia, China, and four former Soviet republics in Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
The announcement of Putin and Xi's meeting in Kazakhstan follows their recent discussions in mid-May during Putin's visit to China. Conversely, Putin's meeting with Erdogan will be their first since their encounter in Sochi, Russia, in September 2023. Putin had planned a visit to Turkey at the end of last year, but it did not materialize.
