Putin Arrives in China’s Tianjin for Security Summit
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are among more than 20 global leaders attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, a port city in northern China.
The SCO includes China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, with 16 other nations participating as observers or dialogue partners. The security alliance, led by China and Russia, seeks to shift global influence in their favor.
Putin, who faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes, arrived in Tianjin on Sunday, where he was greeted with a ceremonial welcome by senior officials.
During his visit, which is expected to last nearly a week, the Russian leader will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, a key ally, and attend Beijing’s Victory Day parade commemorating 80 years since Japan’s defeat in World War II. Putin is set to join other dignitaries, including North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and leaders from Iran and Cuba, as a prominent guest.
Last year, Kim and Putin signed a defense agreement, and in April, North Korea confirmed it had sent troops to support Russian forces in Ukraine.
Since launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Putin has increasingly relied on China for political and economic backing. Just days before sending troops into Ukraine, he visited Beijing, where the two nations declared an unrestricted partnership.
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