Xi and Putin lash out at the West at a summit that counterbalances NATO

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday opened a summit attended by the leaders of about 20 Eurasian countries, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting, held in the port city of Tianjin, aims to promote alternative global governance, with the Chinese Communist regime at the center of regional relations.

During the summit’s opening, the leaders of the member countries—which represent more than half of the world’s population and a significant share of global GDP—posed for a photo on the red carpet, where Xi, Putin, and Modi were seen chatting.

China and Russia lash out at West

Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on Monday criticized what they described as "bullying behavior" by the West and called for defending a "multipolar world."

Likewise, the Chinese president called for "opposing the Cold War mentality" and defended multilateralism, the UN, and the World Trade Organization.

"Looking back, despite tumultuous times, we have achieved success by practicing the spirit of Shanghai," Xi said, referring to the bloc's name, after China faced a trade confrontation with the United States this year.

"We should advocate for a multipolar worldfair and orderly, and forinclusive economic globalization," said Xi, who said he seeks to "promote a fairer and more reasonable governance system."

For his part, Putin defended his country’s offensive in Ukraine and blamed the West for provoking the conflict, which has now lasted three and a half years and left hundreds of thousands dead.

"This crisis was not provoked by theRussian attack in Ukraine, but was the result of a coup d'état in Ukraine, which was supported and provoked by the West," Putin stated.

"The second reason for this crisis is the constant attempts by the West to bring Ukraine into NATO," the Kremlin leader added.

Putin meets with Modi and Erdogan

Vladimir Putin and and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke during the photo session and later held a bilateral meeting.

"We discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in all sectors, including trade, fertilizer, space, security and culture," Modi posted on X.

Also, the Indian prime minister praised the "special and privileged strategic partnership" with Russia and stressed that it "remains a fundamental pillar of regional and global stability."

Regarding Ukraine, Modi stated that he wants both sides to "cease the conflict as soon as possible and find a stable peace."

The Kremlin leader also met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and expressed appreciation for his role as a mediator in the conflict with Kyiv, after Erdogan hosted three rounds of talks in Istanbul that failed to resolve differences over ending the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Another important meeting will be between the Russian president and his Iranian counterpart, Masud Pezeshkian, at a time when Tehran faces pressure to comply with international obligations on nuclear matters.

Meeting between Modi and Xi: "Partners and not rivals"

Xi Jinping met Sunday with Narendra Modi, who arrived on his first visit to China since 2018.

At the meeting, Modi told his Chinese counterpart that India is committed to boosting "relations on the basis of mutual trust, dignity and sensitivity."

Xi said that he hopes the two countries will recognize that they are "partners and not rivals," state-run CCTV reported.

If they see each other as "opportunities for development, rather than threats," China-India relations will grow steadily, he added.

The world’s two most populous nations are rivals competing for influence in South Asia. However, relations began to thaw in October, when Modi met Xi for the first time in five years at a summit in Russia.

"The interests of the 2.8 billion people of the two countries are linked to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the well-being of all mankind," the Indian leader told Xi.