Putin arrives in China for Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, World War II events
Russian president to attend 25th SCO Heads of State Council meeting as part of 4-day visit, as well as hold talks with various world leaders, attend trilateral summit with China, Mongolia
Russian President Vladimir Putin (Photo by Emre Gurkan Abay)
ISTANBUL
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived Sunday in China to attend a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), as well as participate in World War II-related events.
Putin's arrival in China on a four-day visit was announced by the Kremlin, which said the Russian president arrived at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. The Russian president last visited China in May 2024.
The Kremlin said in a statement on Friday that Putin will attend and speak at the SCO's 25th Heads of State Council meeting on Aug. 31-Sept. 1, where the "state and prospects for expanding cooperation in all areas of SCO activity, as well as current international and regional issues, will be considered."
The statement further said that Putin will also attend an "SCO Plus" format meeting on Monday, which will be attended in an expanded format involving the organization's observer countries and dialogue partners.
It went on to say that Putin will later take part in a trilateral summit in Beijing on Tuesday with Xi and Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, as well as hold other high-level talks on the same day, including a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart.
"The agenda includes global and regional issues, cooperation at multilateral venues,” the Kremlin said on the planned Putin-Xi talks, adding that the Russian president will attend ceremonial events in China dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II.
As one of the six founding members of the SCO, Russia has maintained strong ties with China within the organization.
The summit convenes amid escalating geopolitical tensions, including Israel's war on the Gaza Strip, US-mediated efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, and international tariff disputes.
On Friday, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters in Moscow that Putin will also hold talks with various leaders on the sidelines of the SCO summit, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
