Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and China’s President Xi Jinping attend a two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, beginning Monday, according to multiple reports. Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi? (also reported as Pezeshkian) and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi are also expected to participate, with other heads of state from across the bloc joining them for the 25th anniversary event.
The summit marks 25 years of the SCO, a regional group described by outlets as seeking to expand cooperation and provide a counterweight to Western influence. The organisation includes Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, four Central Asian countries and Belarus. Several reports link the gathering to ongoing wars and tensions involving Russia’s Ukraine conflict and fighting connected to Iran, though each outlet emphasizes different aspects of the event and attendees.
