Russian President Vladimir Putin showcased a brilliant diplomatic offensive at an international conference held in China. This scene demonstrates that the West-led attempt at 'diplomatic isolation' has virtually failed since the Ukraine war.
On Dec. 1 (local time), President Putin attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit held in Tianjin, China, and held a series of bilateral meetings with the leaders of countries including India, Turkey, and Iran. The SCO is a Eurasian political, economic, and security cooperation body led by China and Russia.
The most notable meeting was with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. President Putin referred to Prime Minister Modi as 'dear friend.' The two leaders flaunted their close relationship by sharing a ride in President Putin's dedicated limousine to the meeting venue. Prime Minister Modi wrote on social media (SNS), 'Conversations with President Putin are always insightful.' The leaders of the two countries began to tighten their ties after U.S. President Donald Trump raised high tariffs, citing India's import of Russian crude oil as a problem, worsening relations between the two countries.
President Putin also met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and highly praised Turkey's mediation efforts for ending the Ukraine war. He promised cooperation on the Iranian nuclear issue with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. As is widely known, Turkey and Iran have hostile relations with the United States. India is currently in conflict with the U.S. over tariff issues. In addition, President Putin met successively with leaders from Vietnam, Pakistan, and Nepal, finishing his schedule past midnight.
The New York Times (NYT) pointed out that three years ago at a similar meeting, President Putin appeared isolated as other leaders turned their backs on him over the issue of the invasion of Ukraine. It added that 'Putin's fortunes have changed, and the world has changed too.' The NYT noted, 'Now the atmosphere seems to permit war in some respects,' adding that 'it seemed as if business returned to normal as if there had been no war.'
Experts analyzed that Trump's fickle foreign policy is behind this change. While President Trump has been embroiled in trade conflicts with allies, President Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping positioned themselves as 'more stable partners,' rallying non-Western countries. This SCO summit clearly demonstrated China's and Russia's vision to create a 'multipolar world' in opposition to the U.S.-led international order.
On Dec. 2, President Putin will move to Beijing for a summit with President Xi. On Dec. 3, he will attend a parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of China's victory in the war, which is also expected to see North Korean Chairman Kim Jong Un in attendance, raising the possibility of a meeting between President Putin and Chairman Kim.