Russian President Vladimir Putin met with China’s leader Xi Jinping at the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek on August 31. This was another in‑person meeting between the Kremlin leader and his most important international ally.
According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, quoted by Russian media, the meeting took place in «a friendly and constructive atmosphere» and focused on bilateral Russian‑Chinese relations. Peskov noted that during the talks, the «Ukrainian crisis» — a term Moscow uses to refer to its full‑scale invasion of Ukraine — was only briefly touched upon.
The two‑day SCO summit brought together leaders of 10 member states, as well as other allies of Moscow and Beijing and representatives of international organisations. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UN Secretary‑General António Guterres is also expected to attend the event.
Deepening cooperation and unresolved issues
At the event, Putin stated that Russia is ready to introduce a permanent visa‑free regime with China if Beijing agrees. The current agreement, which allows citizens of both countries to stay without a visa for up to 30 days, will expire in December 2027. According to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, Putin also plans to hold separate bilateral meetings with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and other leaders.
Relations between Moscow and Beijing have significantly strengthened since the start of the full‑scale invasion of Ukraine. China is one of the largest buyers of Russian oil and a supplier of dual‑use materials used in Russian military equipment. There is also evidence of military cooperation between the two countries: Reuters reported that in 2025, more than 200 Russian servicemen secretly underwent training in China. During Putin’s last visit to Beijing in May 2026, the countries signed a number of agreements to deepen strategic cooperation.
Despite alignment on many issues, Russia and China have yet to reach an agreement on the construction of the «Power of Siberia‑2» gas pipeline, which is intended to connect the energy systems of the two countries. Negotiations have been stalled for several years as China demands lower tariffs and fixed supply volumes.
The role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
This summit marks the 25th anniversary of the SCO — a political and security organization that includes Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, Belarus, and Central Asian countries. The Kremlin uses SCO summits as a platform to promote its narratives about the war against Ukraine, although the organization’s member states have not yet formed a unified position on the war.
Source: Kyiv Independent
