Russian President Putin Blames West and NATO for Ukraine War
In a fiery address at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin, Russian President Vladimir Putin openly pointed fingers at the West and NATO for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Putin staunchly defended his decision to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, attributing the war to “a result of a coup in Ukraine, which was supported and provoked by the West,” referring to the violent Euromaidan protests in Kyiv that led to the ousting of Kremlin-backed President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014.
“The second reason for the crisis is the west’s constant attempts to drag Ukraine into NATO,” Putin asserted, echoing similar accusations he has made in the past without substantiating them.
Prior to engaging in bilateral discussions with Chinese President Xi, Putin aimed to update Xi on Russia-US talks regarding the conflict in Ukraine that took place in Alaska last month.
Expressing optimism, Putin stated that the agreements reached during the recent Russian-American summit in Alaska could pave the way for peace in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Xi announced China’s plans to expedite the establishment of an SCO development bank and committed to providing $1.4 billion in loans over three years to member states, signaling a push to broaden the organization’s influence beyond its traditional security focus.
Addressing leaders from Russia, India, and other SCO nations, Xi emphasized the increasingly complex global landscape and the pressing safety and development responsibilities faced by member states.
He called for a rejection of Cold War mentalities, bloc-based confrontations, and bullying, advocating instead for an equal and orderly multipolar world, aligning with China’s critique of US global dominance.
Leaders from 10 countries in Europe and Asia, including Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are set to continue discussions on Monday.
Many of these leaders are expected to attend Xi’s military parade in Beijing on Wednesday, commemorating 80 years since China’s victory over Japan in World War II, with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russia’s Putin scheduled to be present.
Established in Shanghai in June 2001, the SCO has evolved from its six founding members to a diverse family of 26 nations, comprising 10 members, two observers, and 14 dialogue partners across Asia, Europe, and Africa.
Despite its growth in influence over the past 24 years, the SCO’s objectives and initiatives remain somewhat opaque, with limited public awareness of the organization.
Many view the SCO as part of China’s strategy to bolster its global standing on the world stage. – Euronews
