Moscow, 5 July 2024
The President of Russia paid a two-day working visit to Astana to participate in a meeting of the Heads of State Council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Vladimir Putin held a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the SCO summit: with President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsükh, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif, President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of China Xi Jinping, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Acting President of Iran Mohammad Mokhber, and Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
The President of Russia took part in the meeting of the SCO Heads of State Council. Following its results, the participants signed the Astana Declaration and adopted and signed a number of other documents. They also held a meeting in the SCO Plus format.
In conclusion of his visit, Vladimir Putin answered media questions.
Source – The Kremlin – VISIT WEBSITE
SCO Summit in Astana: Answers to Russian media questions
In conclusion of his working visit to Astana, Vladimir Putin answered questions from representatives of Russian media.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon. Go ahead, please.
Anton Vernitsky: Mr President, my name is Anton Vernitsky, Channel One. Are you satisfied with the SCO’s effectiveness in this turbulent global envoronment? Does the Organisation manage to respond to all the challenges? Thank you.
Vladimir Putin: The SCO is a useful organisation. Let me remind you that it was created to finally settle all the issues that arose after the USSR collapsed, border issues with China that remained unresolved backing the Soviet times between China and the newly established states. Gradually, the organisation started to gain steam and definitely became more necessary in today’s world, because it is clearly an independent centre of the new multipolar world. This is the feature that attracted the organisation members and those who wanted to maintain close contacts with it at various levels, as guests or as observers. As you can see, the will to join the SCO is growing. It has definitely become a powerful and global organisation: its member countries represent almost half of the Earth’s population. This is the firs point.
Second, it is a platform to agree positions among the member countries: China, Russia, India and Pakistan. As you understand, contacts never go amiss. In addition to this, once the organisation has grown to be so powerful and large, then the principles it declares are also significant, when they are known all over the world. For example, all the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation have agreed that they stand against the deployment of any weapons in outer space, which is reflected in the declaration and other documents as well. This is a signal for the rest of the world on how we feel about the militarisation of outer space.
There are also other serious and important things, as I have said. First, a trillion-worth mutual trade matters. Discussing issues related to economic cooperation, both bilaterally and multilaterally, is crucial. As I have said, the GDP grew by 5.4 or 5.3 percent, and the industrial production grew 4.5 percent at the inflation rate of 2.4 percent. This is a good growth rate and good quality of the economy. I mean the low level of inflation.
Finally, cultural and humanitarian issues in various fields are agreed on, including youth, culture, education, and sports cooperation, all of which are very important and have good prospects.
Alexander Gamov: I am Alexander Gamov, Komsomolskaya Pravda. Mr President, statements are already made that we consider Verkhovna Rada the only legitimate authority in Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin: It is not we who say this but the constitution of Ukraine.
Alexander Gamov: Yes, this is according to the constitution. Perhaps Russia could address Verkhovna Rada directly, so that everyone in Ukraine and the West knows it. A question arises related to Ukraine, which was spoken about a lot today. Back in December 1999, it was decided to create the Union State of Russia and Belarus, and we were dreaming about a common constitution, common currency etc. Today, integration processes have reached an unprecedented level, even considering our defence ties. Isn’t it time to return to creating the union we dreamed about in 1999? Thank you.
Vladimir Putin: First, as for Ukraine, we could address Verkhovna Rada but this makes no sense while the power is usurped by the ruling elite, because the majority at the Verkhovna Rada is under its command. It holds the power illegally and does not even appeal to the constitutional court to confirm its powers. As I said, back in 2015, the Supreme Court of Ukraine ruled that a presidential term was limited to five years, and there were no reasons to extend powers in accordance with the Constitution of Ukraine. All powers should go to the Rada, but it does not take these powers upon itself. Therefore, of course, we can address it, but it is pointless considering the real-life situation.
The Union State is developing, and we remember all the goals and tasks set in the original documents. This is the path we are going along.
The President of Belarus believes, and I support him, that not political but economic issues must be addressed at the first stage. A foundation for further rapprochement on the political track must be created, though everything works smoothly in the political sphere: there are both interparliamentary and intergovernmental associations. It is a question of time whether it would be necessary to establish a single parliament. I agree with Mr Lukashenko that we have to properly strengthen our economic relations first.
The same goes for our finances and a single currency. Nobody is saying that this is impossible or that we cannot do this. We have to get ready for this economically, because, as you know, when a single currency was introduced in the European Union, many countries with weak economies suffered from this, because nothing could be regulated using inflation since everything was pegged to euro. For example, there was no drachma, so Greece could not regulate its domestic economic processes using its national currency. Therefore, it is important that we have a relevant level of economic cooperation. We have taken very serious steps in this direction.
This concerns tax and customs regulations. You know, this is very significant, if not revolutionary. We move forward while relying on international experience, too. I believe we are correct in doing so.
Donald Courter: Donald Courter, Russia today.
Mr President, terrorist organisations on Afghan territory pose a serious threat to security of the SCO space, including Central Asian countries and Russia. The Islamic State is the most dangerous of them, and Russia has already had to face it this year. My question is, should the Taliban join the dialogue on terrorist threats? Do you think they are allies or enemies here?
Vladimir Putin: The Taliban movement has taken on certain obligations, and in general there are issues that require constant attention both within the country and from the international community.In fact, we should keep in mind that the Taliban controls the country. In this sense, the Taliban are, of course, our allies in countering terrorism, because any authority in power is interested in its own stability and the stability of the country it leads. I believe that the Taliban are also interested in Afghanistan being stable, calm, and subject to certain rules. We have received repeated signals from the Taliban that they are ready to work with us on the anti-terrorism track.
Dmitry Laru: My name is Dmitry Laru, Izvestia newspaper. Afghanistan remains a SCO observer state, but the Kabul authorities have said many times that they are interested in fully joining the Organisation. Has this topic been discussed at the SCO, considering that the [SCO – Afghanistan] Contact Group has resumed its work? Is Russia planning to remove the Taliban from the list of banned organisations? If so, when might this happen? Thank you.
Vladimir Putin: I have already said that we maintain contact with the Taliban. We have received repeated signals that the Taliban movement is ready to cooperate with Russia in various areas, including on the anti-terrorism track, and we welcome it. As for full membership in the SCO, it is not for Russia alone to decide. This is always decided by a consensus. There are issues with several SCO member states which concern the inclusiveness of power in Afghanistan. I believe all these issues can be resolved. We must maintain relations with Afghanistan and the real political forces that control the country. We will do this. I do not see why we should turn away from this now. The timing will depend on how the situation will develop.
Pavel Zarubin: Good evening. Pavel Zarubin, Rossiya TV Channel. Several months ago, I was lucky to ask you: who is better for us, Biden or Trump? And then you said that Biden. But now it turns out that that “bet” has become questionable because after the recent debates in the United States everyone is terrified of Biden, and, in general, his participation in the election race is in question. Maybe you managed to see some pieces of these debates. What are your impressions? And, let us put it as follows, have your political preferences changed?
Vladimir Putin: You said: “That ‘bet’ has become questionable.” Nothing has become questionable. Then I said … What has changed? Nothing has changed. Do you think we didn’t know what would happen? We did. Nothing has changed in that sense.
As for watching or not watching it – I watched some pieces. I have enough to do, so I don’t particularly follow what’s going on there, especially in the media comments. They always have certain preferences: someone is in favour, someone is against. On the whole, of course, I have seen it, it is impossible to turn away from this, especially since the United States remains a great power with certain economic, security, and military capabilities, and the United States, a permanent member of the Security Council, certainly has such an influence on the situation in Ukraine. Of course, we are not indifferent to what is happening there. Still, this is their own internal affair.
Please, go ahead.
Aisel Gereikhanova: Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Aisel Gereikhanova. And yet, regarding the debates and specifically Donald Trump’s statements. He has already said on many occasions during the debates that he is ready to finish the conflict in Ukraine literally overnight. There are also some reports that Trump may stop NATO expansion to the East. How seriously do you take such promises yourself?
Vladimir Putin: You know, we take seriously enough the things that Mr Trump is saying as a presidential candidate about his readiness and wish to stop the war in Ukraine. Naturally, I do not know his possible proposals as to how he is going to do it – and this is, of course, the key question. However, I have no doubt that he is saying it sincerely, and we support it.
Andrei Kolesnikov: My name is Andrei Kolesnkov, Kommersant newspaper. Mr President, do you believe a ceasefire along the contact line with Ukraine is possible before peace negotiations begin, without any preconditions, in order to have a better chance of success? Or is it also subject to negotiation? Thank you.
Vladimir Putin: Let me remind you some things. When our troops were near Kiev, we received a proposal and even a plea from our Western partners to cease fire and stop hostilities in order for certain things to be done on the Ukrainian side. We did it. There was a moment when we did it. The Ukrainian side did not cease hostilities. Later we were told that the official Ukrainian authorities could not control all their military units, because there were allegedly those that were not subordinate to the central authorities. This is what we were told, no more and no less. This is first.
Second, we were asked to move our troops away from Kiev in order to create conditions to finally sign a peace treaty. We did this and faced deception once again: all the agreements reached in Istanbul were thrown in the trash. Such things happened repeatedly.
Therefore, we cannot just declare a ceasefire hoping that the opposing side will take some positive steps. This is first.
Second, we cannot allow the adversary to take advantage of this ceasefire to improve its positions, rearm itself, fill up its army through forced mobilization, and get prepared to continue the armed conflict.We must ensure that the opposing side agrees to take steps that would be irreversible and acceptable to the Russian Federation.
Therefore, a ceasefire is impossible without reaching this agreement.
Yelena Mukhametshina: Vedomosti newspaper. Several days ago, Vladimir Zelensky said that he considered negotiations with Russia possible through mediators, the way it was with the grain deal. What do you think about this idea, and who could serve as mediator in this case?
Vladimir Putin: We have always been in favour of negotiations, as you know. We never rejected them. The problem is that I consider it improbable that the conflict can be settled through mediators alone, above all because a mediator will not be authorised to sign any final documents, and moreover, even bring them for signing. The competencies of these mediators are not the only crucial issue, but their authority, too. Who can vest the authority to any mediator to put this conflict to an end? I find this improbable.
However, we welcome mediation, for example, like that of Mr Erdogan during our negotiation process in Istanbul.
Rossina Bodrova: Rossina Bodrova, Zvezda TV channel. What do we know about Washington’s plans to deploy intermediate- and shorter-range missiles? What territories might be used to deploy them, and what kind of threat will this pose for our security? You recently spoke about the need to begin the production of intermediate- and shorter-range missile strike systems. Are we talking about a new weapon? Is it just production, or does that include deployment as well?
Vladimir Putin: As you may remember, I said that in connection with the United States withdrawing from this treaty and announcing that it would begin the production, we, too, believe we can begin the R&D work, and production in the future. We are carrying out the R&D work. We are ready to start the production. In principle, we have already instructed the industry accordingly.
As far as deployment is concerned, as you may remember, and if you do not, I will remind you, I said we were declaring a moratorium on the possible deployment of our respective systems in the future until the time these missile systems are deployed in another region of the world. If US-made medium-range and shorter-range missiles appear in some place, we reserve the right to respond tit-for-tat. Everything that we said remains valid.
Alexander Yunashev: Alexander Yunashev, Life. Mr President, yesterday you had several bilateral meetings, and the spotlight was on your talks with President Erdogan, whom you saw in person a long time ago, even though trade between our countries is declining.
Vladimir Putin: It is growing now.
Alexander Yunashev: Still not as much we would like. If it is not a secret, what did you discuss when the reporters left? What is the most important issue in Russia-Turkiye relations? What, or who, is standing in our way?
Vladimir Putin: It is well known who is standing in our way. What helps us is President Erdogan’s political will. Technically, it is about calculations, and everyone is well aware of it. Even though our Turkish partners mentioned yesterday that, in value terms, our trade had fallen from US$63 billion to US$55 billion. These figures need to be checked, of course. According to them, this is primarily cost-related, because they used to purchase our energy carriers at higher prices, and prices have fallen in recent months, at least compared to 2022. So we are witnessing a decline in value terms as well.
According to them, not much has changed in absolute terms and in terms of volume. I will run a check on it. The point is not to check things, though, but to step up our work, and both sides are interested in doing so.
There are also objective considerations that have nothing to do with someone being in our way, but have more to do with what things actually are. For example, the harvest in Turkiye was good, and their storage facilities are full of grain. They buy less grain. Or, take their tax restrictions related to our metallurgical industry. This has nothing to do with restrictions from outside. It is simply the dynamics of domestic production and our bilateral relations. All these issues can be dealt with.
Please go ahead.
Anna Derkach: Good afternoon, Mr President. My name is Anna Derkach, MIR. As of today, Belarus is officially a SCO member. What prospects does this bring to the organisation, and what opportunities does it open up for cooperation between the SCO and the Eurasian Economic Union? Thank you.
Vladimir Putin: Belarus’s size, territory, economy, or population cannot be compared with China or India with over 1.5 billion people each, probably, even more now. However, it is still an important element of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, because Belarus is Eastern Europe, so the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has officially entered the European continent. I also believe that this is a great advantage for Belarus, because, for example, it now has a way to the Caspian Sea via Russia, and then, say, via Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, further to Iran. It is important for Belarus, because it remains a large exporter of mineral fertiliser. It is important for Belarus to have routes and countries where it can export its agricultural equipment or import something from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation countries.
Therefore, I believe that this is a mutually beneficial decision, and, to a certain degree, Mr Lukashenko and his Foreign Ministry’s success.
Ksenia Chernyayeva: My name is Ksenia Chernyayeva, Interfax agency. At the moment, in fact, the entire previous system of strategic stability has been cancelled: START-3, the INF Treaty and the CTBT are not in effect. Is it possible to renew these agreements in the future, or will they never be relevant again? Should we come up with something new, such as a unified concept, convention, or some other framework document? With whom and on what platform should this topic be discussed and such agreements recorded? Thank you.
Vladimir Putin: The first thing I would like to point out is that indeed the United States has destroyed the fundamental documents that underpinned international stability and security. We did not withdraw from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, which was a cornerstone, or the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, or the CTBT.
Many elements in the foundation of international stability have been destroyed in recent years. Nothing if this was done by us. All of this was done by the US. What were we supposed to do? Only to take note and respond to those actions. And so we did. For example, what have we done in the military sphere to overcome the missile defence system being created by the United States? We successfully invented systems to overcome antimissile defences, such as intercontinental Avandards, hypersonic gliding blocks, or intercontinental-range ballistic missile technology to break through missile defence systems, and some other things, too. We were forced to do this.
However, the issue of creating a legal framework for international security and strategic stability is still on our to-do list. Should these be new agreements or should we return to the old ones? This is up to the experts to decide. You know, even when I was studying at the university, I did not study public international law, I studied private international law and my thesis was about it. Then, I did economics.
But it is not even about that, not about the formal, or the legal aspect, but about the root of the matters that we should address as a team.
We have articulated our proposals. I mentioned when I spoke before the Foreign Ministry’s senior officials. As a matter of fact, it was put on paper. But there must be goodwill on the part of those who are interested in seeing this happen. We sometimes hear from the United States that they are willing to resume talks on this subject. But they appear to be undecided. At some point they seem to want it, next thing you know they do not. During the latter stint of President Obama’s administration, they let us know that they wanted to, but then all of a sudden they changed their mind.
I believe everyone here, and in general, people who follow the developments, realise that establishing any kind of a constructive dialogue with the United States at this point, amid the presidential campaign marked by acute domestic political strife – we should discuss this matter primarily with the United States – is impossible. We should wait for the elections in the United States to take place and see the future administration’s disposition and preferences. We are ready for that.
Yulia Bubnova: Speaking at the Foreign Ministry, you outlined your vision of the future security system, and now you mentioned that these ideas would be put on paper. What will it be, if it is not a secret? Will it be new treaties, our written proposals to the West, or something else? More broadly, are there any contacts underway to follow up on your proposals regarding Ukraine and the global security system in general, or do they remain unanswered by the West?
Vladimir Putin: As far as global security is concerned, I have just covered it. We need to wait for the new [US] administration to be formed, to understand their preferences, views, and plans, and whether they are willing to discuss this matter. To reiterate, they are letting us know from time to time that they are willing to resume this dialogue with us. However, shortly after, they vanish and then come up with abstract topics that are not directly related to matters of strategic stability. To reiterate, let us wait until the new administration is formed and see what its plans and preferences are. Once again, we are ready for that.
Thank you very much. All the best.
Source – The Kremlin: VISIT WEBSITE
Russian President remarks at the SCO Heads of State Council Meeting
Vladimir Putin took part in a meeting of the SCO Heads of State Council in Astana.
At the beginning of the meeting, the leaders signed a resolution on granting Belarus the status of an SCO member state.
Following the meeting, the parties signed the Astana Declaration of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
The heads of state also signed a package of other documents. They include the Council’s decisions approving the draft Development Strategy of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisationuntil 2035, the SCO Initiative on World Unity for Just Peace and Harmony, the Programme of Cooperation of the SCO Member States in Countering Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism for 2025−2027, the SCO Anti-Drug Strategy for 2024−2029 and the Strategy for the Development of Energy Cooperation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Member States until 2030.
In addition, the parties signed decisions on the Association of Investors of the SCO member states, on the approval of the Programme for the development of cooperation between the SCO member states in the field of protected natural areas and eco-tourism, and on declaring the city of Qingdao (China) the SCO tourist and cultural capital in 2024−2025.
Furthermore, decisions were taken on signing the Memorandum of Understanding between the SCO Secretariat and the Central Asian Regional Information Coordination Center for Combating Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors and on the Plan of Cooperation between the SCO Member States on Ensuring International Information Security.
Declarations of the SCO Heads of State Council on the principles of good neighbourliness, trust and partnership, on safe drinking water and sanitation and on effective waste management were adopted without signing.
An Agreement between the Governments of the SCO Member States on Cooperation in Environmental Protection was also signed during the meeting.
* * *
The Russian President’s address at the SCO summit
President of Russia Vladimir Putin:
Mr Tokayev, colleagues.
First of all, I want to greet everybody and, of course, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, following the accession of the Republic of Belarus as a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
Russia gives high priority to partnership within the SCO. We can state with satisfaction that this cooperation continues to develop consistently based on the principles of equality, consideration for each other’s interests, respect for the cultural and civilisational diversity, and cooperation in addressing important security issues.
With the active involvement of our Kazakhstani colleagues, an impressive package of documents and resolutions has been developed for approval at this SCO Heads of State Council Meeting. The implementation of these documents will undoubtedly strengthen the role and influence of the SCO.
The coordinated approaches of the SCO countries to key aspects of the global and regional agenda are outlined in the Astana Declaration, which has been submitted for approval at the summit.Additionally, it emphasises the commitment of all SCO countries to shaping a fair multipolar world order based on the central role of the UN, international law and the striving of sovereign states for mutually beneficial partnerships.
The long-term guidelines for the further deepening of interaction not only in politics and security but also in the economy, energy, agriculture, high technology and innovations have been incorporated in the draft decision on formulating an SCO Development Strategy until 2035. This is important for enhancing our practical cooperation in all spheres on the agenda of our organisation.
Close economic ties clearly benefit all participants. The facts speak for themselves: the average GDP growth in the SCO member states was more than 5 percent last year, and industrial growth was 4.5 percent, while the inflation rate was only 2.4 percent. At the same time, Russia’s trade with SCO countries increased by 25 percent.
I would like to note in this context that our countries are increasingly using national currencies for mutual settlements. For example, the share of national currencies in Russia’s transactions with SCO members has exceeded 92 percent in the first four months of this year. I would like to reiterate Russia’s proposal to establish a payment and settlement system within the SCO.
Regular meetings between our economic ministers, finance ministers and central bank governors are making a substantial contribution to the development of trade and investment relations in the SCO space.
I would like to mention the successful operation of the SCO Business Council, which allows the business communities of our countries to participate in mutually beneficial joint projects. The funding of these projects is the direct responsibility of the SCO Interbank Consortium.
Naturally, ensuring security within the member states and along the external borders has always been a key focus of the SCO’s activities. Today, we have made decisions to upgrade the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure into a comprehensive centre that will address all security threats, as well as to establish an anti-drug centre in Dushanbe. The three-year cooperation programme we have approved will further strengthen our efforts to combat terrorism, separatism, and extremism.
It is gratifying to see the SCO countries consistently enhancing their interaction in cultural and humanitarian areas. Contacts are developing in science and education, environmental protection, healthcare, and combatting epidemics. Additionally, tourism, sports, and youth exchanges are on the rise.
The SCO University is thriving, bringing together 77 universities from our member states. Regular forums for university rectors, along with education weeks, are fostering connections among students, teachers, businesses, and the public sector.
The SCO Youth Council, established at the initiative of Russia, serves as a central hub for expanding youth connections.
Last spring, member nations participated in the World Youth Festival in Sochi and a youth conference focused on intercultural dialogue. We eagerly anticipate the attendance of delegates from all member states at the upcoming international youth programme, SCO Business Incubator, in September in Dubna, Moscow Region.
Colleagues, given the current global conditions marked by rapid and irreversible changes, the proactive stance of the SCO in international affairs is unquestionably highly sought after.
The multipolar world has become a reality. More and more countries are speaking out for a fair world order and are ready to resolutely uphold their legitimate rights and protect traditional values. New centres of power and economic growth are emerging and growing stronger.
We firmly believe that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and BRICS are the main pillars of this new world order. These associations are powerful drivers of global development processes and the establishment of genuine multipolarity.
Another step in this direction is the initiative of the SCO member states on World Unity for a Just Peace and Harmony, the presentation of which we are expected to approve today. This initiative is clearly aimed at coordinating confidence-building measures in the fields of stability and security, primarily in our common Eurasian region. These measures must guarantee equal conditions for sustainable growth for all countries, regardless of their political and economic systems, religion and confession, and cultural patterns.
Furthermore, it is also in this spirit that Russia proposed the idea of creating a new Eurasian architecture of cooperation, indivisible security and development. This new framework should replace the obsolete Europe-centric and Euro-Atlantic models that granted unilateral advantages to certain states. As you know, this world order led to a growing number of crises around the globe, including the Ukraine crisis, of course.
Russia has always advocated and will continue to advocate for a peaceful political and diplomatic settlement of the Ukraine crisis, which arose as a result of an absolutely arrogant policy of the United States and its client states. We have put forth many concrete proposals regarding this situation. I would like to remind you that in mid-June we presented yet another settlement option, which – if accepted by Ukraine and, more importantly, its Western sponsors – would allow for the hostilities to be stopped immediately, saving lives, and for negotiations to begin.
Colleagues, we are grateful to the SCO countries for their ideas on settling that conflict. Russia is certainly ready to take your ideas and initiatives into account.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has taken the right course by closely addressing the issue of Afghanistan on its recurring agenda. We support the idea of resuming the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group and believe that the group’s activities will contribute to normalising the situation in the country.
Unfortunately, there are other potential trouble spots persisting on the Eurasian continent, in Greater Eurasia. Their proliferation is fraught with chaos and instability.
In particular, I am referring to the Middle East and the situation in Gaza. History has clearly shown that it is unviable and counterproductive to make any unilateral attempts to resolve this Palestinian deadlock, most notably by the United States, contrary to UN resolutions that specifically state the need to establish two independent and sovereign states, Israel and Palestine, which would co-exist peacefully.
Overall, the issues pertaining to security and stability across Eurasia and on a broader global scale, require active involvement and a proactive and carefully measured policy from the SCO and its member states, with due consideration for the needs and expectations of our allies among the countries of the global majority.
Colleagues, as it was stressed earlier, the more the SCO strengthens its authority and influence, the more attention it attracts from other states and international structures. Many of them strive to build an equal dialogue with our organisation and join its activities. Naturally, we must carefully consider the wealth of applications from the countries that wish to cooperate with the SCO in different capacities.
In conclusion, I want to thank our Kazakhstani friends for organising this meeting and, of course, I want to wish good luck to the President of China, our friend Xi Jinping and all of our friends in China as they take over the SCO presidency after this summit.
Thank you.
Source – The Kremlin VISIT WEBSITE
Russian President Putin’s remarks the Meeting in the SCO Plus format
A meeting in the SCO Plus format was held in Astana.
Taking part in the meeting were the leaders of SCO member states, the heads of delegations from SCO observer countries and dialogue partners, the heads of international organisations (the UN, the EEC, the Islamic Organisation for Food Security, the CSTO, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, CICA, and the CIS), as well as the guests of Kazakhstan’s Presidency.
The Russian delegation attending the meeting includes Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office and Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, and Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov.
The theme of the SCO Plus meeting is Strengthening Multilateral Dialogue – Striving for Sustainable Peace and Development.The agenda includes international and regional issues related to the SCO’s cooperation with invited countries.
Vladimir Putin spoke at an SCO Plus format meeting:
President of Russia Vladimir Putin:
Mr Tokayev, colleagues.Once again, I would like to extend greetings to everyone, especially to the guests participating in the meeting under the SCO Plus format.
I believe the growing interest in the work of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisationstems from our core values and ideals: a commitment to pursuing a sovereign and independent policy, alongside a collaborative approach with other countries to find collective solutions to global problems. These principles resonate with many around the world.
Our association has always emphasised the importance of considering the opinions and perspectives of a broad range of partners, respecting each state’s inalienable right to choose its own development model.
It is evident that the SCO is now one of the biggest and most influential regional organisations. As our chairman mentioned, its member countries are home to nearly half of the world’s population, produce about a quarter of the global GDP, and possess substantial intellectual and technological potential, as well as a significant portion of the world’s natural resources.
The active participation of the SCO in multilateral cooperation across various fields is particularly crucial in the current challenging international landscape, where fundamental political and economic transformations are taking place.
The world is becoming genuinely multipolar, with an increasing number of states ready to decisively assert their legitimate rights and interests. New centres of power are emerging, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is solidifying its position as one of these key centres.
Therefore, the topic we have brought up for discussion is highly relevant: Strengthening Multilateral Dialogue – Striving Towards a Sustainable Peace and Prosperity.
This theme encapsulates the core mission of the SCO since its inception in 2001 – fostering an atmosphere of security and trust throughout our shared Eurasian region.In this context, we appreciate the sincere and concrete proposals from SCO member countries for the peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian crisis, a result of the reckless and intrusive policies of the United States and its satellites.
As you know, Russia has never refused to negotiate, and is now ready to continue peace talks. It is Ukraine that withdrew from the talks, and it also did so publicly, on direct orders from London – which means Washington was also involved, there is no doubt about it – as Ukrainian officials have admitted bluntly and openly.
The Istanbul agreements – we have to give credit to the President of Türkiye, Mr Erdogan, for agreeing to be part of that process as a mediator – are still on the table. They were initialed by Ukraine’s chief negotiator, which means that, to all appearances, Ukraine found them acceptable. These agreements, the Istanbul agreements, remain on the table and can be used as a starting point for further negotiation.
The SCO member states coordinate their actions on the international track, including at the United Nations, and their foreign policy approaches are largely in accord or closely aligned.The SCO member states are vigorously promoting trade, economic, investment and financial cooperation, with their respective business communities involved in the process. It is telling that, while a number of developed economies are struggling with recession, the aggregate GDP of the SCO members demonstrated a 5.2 percent average growth in 2023; their industrial production grew by 4.5 percent, with inflation at just 2.4 percent. These are good results.
The member states are consistently deepening cooperation in energy, infrastructure development, food security, high technology and innovation, digital transformation and artificial intelligence.The SCO is taking active steps to build and streamline chains of trade, logistics and mutual payments. New and more efficient transport corridors are being created to improve connectivity across the continent, from north to south and from west to east.Furthermore, we are certainly interested in the widest possible scope of countries joining SCO industry projects. The SCO Business Council, the Interbank Consortium and the Heads of Regions Forum are also open to partnerships.
The members of the Shanghai organisation are always respectful of historical and cultural values, and civilisational diversity. This provides a sound framework for people-to-people contacts to expand, and facilitates cooperation in science and technology, education, health care and sports. The SCO Youth Council, civil society and volunteer bodies are up and running.
In other words, SCO has many good practices to share with all countries that are interested and want to cooperate. Reciprocally, our organisation will welcome any constructive contribution to its activities and any valuable proposal from our partners.
Therefore, I am confident that this meeting will benefit all parties and will serve to build an even stronger bond of friendly relations between them and spur on cooperation across the board.
Thank you for your attention.
Source – The Kremlin – VISIT WEBSITE
Russian President: Meeting with President of China Xi Jinping
President of Russia Vladimir Putin:
Mr President, dear friend,
Chinese colleagues, friends,
We are all happy to see you again, this time on the sidelines of the SCO summit.
Allow me to start right where we left off at our last meeting. I remember how warmly you welcomed us all in China. I would like to thank you again for the hospitality you showed us, on behalf of my colleagues and myself.
We had very substantive talks, signed a joint policy statement and launched the Cross Years of Culture. Later on, as we visited Harbin, we had more opportunities to see how close the historical ties between Russia and China are.
Back to this meeting and tomorrow’s events – I would like to remind you that our countries stood at the cradle of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in 2001. As the number of participants grew – and tomorrow Belarus will become another full member of the organisation – the SCO also gained a bigger role as one of the key pillars of a just multipolar world order. We will certainly support China’s chairmanship of the SCO in 2024–2025 in every way.
We have repeatedly stated with good reason that Russia-China relations, our comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation, are going through the best period in their history. They are guided by the principles of equality, mutual benefit and respect for each other’s sovereignty. Our cooperation is not directed against anyone. We do not create any blocs or alliances; we are simply acting in the interests of our people.
Russia and China continue the series of events dedicated to the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our countries we are marking this year.
Trade is on the rise – we noted this during my visit to the People’s Republic of China, and we can reaffirm this today. We saw more positive trends in the first half of this year.
At present, Russia and China are combining efforts to consistently implement the Plan to Promote the Key Elements of Russian-Chinese Economic Cooperation until 2030, which was approved during your visit to Moscow in March 2023.
It is noteworthy that all forms of cultural and humanitarian exchanges are also expanding. Mutual tourist flow is growing: last year, over 1.2 million trips were taken, and, in January – May of this year, the visa-free package tours alone were chosen by more than 260,000 people.
Russian-Chinese cooperation in global affairs serves as a main stabilising factor on the international stage, and we continue to further enhance it.
This year, Russia holds the presidency of BRICS, another organisation created on our initiative, and we hope that you and our colleagues will take part in the Kazan summit in October.
Thank you.
President of China Xi Jinping (retranslated):
Mr President Putin, my dear friend,
I am very glad to see you.
It is true that holding meetings on the sidelines of multilateral events is not just a good tradition of ours, but also the symbol of the high level that Russian-Chinese relations enjoy.
In May, you had a successful state visit to China, and we were able to outline priority areas for further development of our relations in the year when our diplomatic relations mark their 75th anniversary.
Today, the agreements we have reached are being efficiently implemented, and our comprehensive cooperation is progressing as planned. Facing an international situation fraught with turbulence and changes, the two countries should keep upholding the original aspiration of lasting friendship, and sticking to the determination of benefiting the people, enhance the unique value of Chinese-Russian relations, cultivate new drivers of cooperation, and make tireless efforts to safeguard our legitimate rights and interests and safeguard the basic norms governing international relations.
Tomorrow’s summit in Astana will become a crucial event for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation this year. I am ready to hold an in-depth discussion with you and our other colleagues on ways to strengthen the SCO and cooperation in various fields and help promote the sustainable development of the Organisation in order to build a closer community of common destiny of the SCO.
Thank you for your attention.
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Source – The Kremlin – VISIT WEBSITE
Russian President: Meeting with Acting Head of the Executive Branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mohammad Mokhber
Vladimir Putin meets with Acting Head of the Executive Branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mohammad Mokhber on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin:
Mr Mokhber, friends. I am very pleased to see you and to welcome everyone.
I would like to begin by saying that Iran-Russia relations are truly friendly and constructive. I am confident that our relations will grow stronger regardless of the outcome of the elections in your country. We wish the Iranian people a successful second round.
Notably, last year our trade slightly adjusted downward, decreased, but this year it grew by 14 percent as compared to the same period the year before.
The free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and Iran will certainly contribute to the further strengthening of our economic ties.
The member states of the organisation are reviewing Iran’s application for observer state status at the EAEU. For our part, we support it.
Tourist flows are expanding as well. The number of Russian tourists to Iran has increased by a quarter.
Notably, our approaches to key items on the international agenda overlap. We are united by the desire to create a multipolar world order, to observe all statutes of international law, and to preserve the central role of the United Nations.
Please convey my best wishes for continued good health and well-being to the Supreme Leader of Iran Mr Khamenei.
Acting Head of the Executive Branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mohammad Mokhber (retranslated):
I would like to begin by expressing my sincere gratitude for your condolences and telephone calls, which were truly comforting for us.
The strategy of establishing very close and deep relations with the Russian Federation was devised by Iran’s spiritual leader, who oversees its implementation.
First, I would like to convey the greetings and best wishes from Iran’s spiritual leader and express my gratitude for your dedication in promoting our work. I would also like to thank you for sending a high-level delegation to honour the memory of our late President.
According to the spiritual leader, our relations with Russia are so deep and enduring that no changes in the government can harm them.
It is evident that the strategic relations between Iran and Russia interfere with the global dominance equation, and the unilateral system has already become obsolete.
Special thanks should be extended to the late President Raisi for his sincere efforts which enabled us to elevate Iranian-Russian relations to a new level.
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Source – The Kremlin – VISIT WEBSITE
Russian President: Meeting with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani
Vladimir Putin had a meeting with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani on the sidelines of the SCO summit.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov attended the meeting from the Russian side.
The beginning of Russia-Qatar talks
President of Russia Vladimir Putin:
Your Highness,
I am delighted to have this opportunity to meet and talk with you.
The relations between Russia and Qatar are built on a strong foundation of friendship. Our trade in absolute figures is not large, but there are good growth prospects and positive trends.
We continue mutual investment cooperation. Our central banks are also working together. There is an ongoing dialogue on potentially including Qatar in the North-South Transport Corridor project. We are developing humanitarian links between our nations.
We remember that Qatar was extremely dedicated to the preparations for the FIFA World Cup. We have approved a memorandum of understanding between our ministries of sport to enhance cooperation in this field.
Your Highness, I would like to thank you for your efforts in resolving humanitarian issues and those arising from the Ukrainian crisis.It is through your mediation that we have been able to reunite children with their families on both the Russian and Ukrainian sides.
We are also aware that you have been one of the most effective mediators between Hamas and Israel in the Middle East crisis. We know very well that you are taking very proactive efforts to help the parties reach agreement on ceasefire and detainee exchange. Your Highness, you know that Russia is also making efforts to help settle this crisis. It is our firm belief that this situation can only be resolved by complying with the respective decisions of the UN, especially those concerning the establishment of two states, Israel and Palestine.
Your Highness, it has been a long time since your last visit to Russia. We would be more than happy to host you in our country. Please consider this an official invitation.
Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (retranslated):
Thank you very much, Mr President. I am happy to see you.
I would like to express my gratitude to the Russian Federation for its support to Qatar in joining this format and for the invitation to take part in this significant strategic cooperation format in Asia.
We take great pride in and deeply value the strong relationship between Russia and Qatar, which is built on mutual respect and trust. As you mentioned, our cooperation spans across numerous areas.
Qatar’s investments in the Russian economy and projects in Russia currently amount to approximately $13 billion, and we are committed to increasing this figure. Just yesterday, during dinner, we discussed opportunities for further investment in the Russian economy.
Mr President, I would like to express my gratitude for acknowledging Qatar’s humanitarian efforts. I want to assure you that we remain committed to continuing this work.
Thank you sincerely for entrusting us with the task of facilitating the return of Russian and Ukrainian children to their families. Naturally, we hope for a resolution to this crisis that satisfies both parties involved.
You mentioned the current crisis and war in Gaza. As I have already said, our commitment lies in resolving this through negotiations among the parties involved. We seek a ceasefire, and an end to the conflict. We also advocate for the return of Israeli prisoners and detainees from other states to reunite with their families.
The current situation is intolerable. The devastation unfolding in the Gaza Strip has resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of lives, including children, women, and innocent civilians. It is imperative to establish a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders. I know that the Russian Federation supports this stance. Our primary objectives are to cease the war immediately and to uphold the existing international legal framework.
Thank you, Mr President, for your invitation to visit the Russian Federation, which I gratefully accept. I also extend an invitation for you to visit Qatar at your convenience.
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Source – The Kremlin – VISIT WEBSITE
Russian President: Meeting with President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Vladimir Putin met with President of the Republic of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Astana.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin:
Mr President,
Colleagues, friends,
I am very glad to see you again.
Mr President, we maintain regular contact, discussing developments between our two countries, the situation in the region, and in the world. However, we have not seen each other for a long time. I am delighted to see you again.
I would like to note that relations between Russia and Turkiye are progressing despite the current challenges in the world. The last few months saw a slight decline in trade, but it still remains relatively high: US$55 billion, if we count in US dollars.
All our large projects are being implemented on schedule. There are no delays. I would like to note last year the Russian tourist flow in Turkiye was record high with 6.3 million of our tourists visiting Turkiye. I would like to express my gratitude for the conditions the country has created for Russian tourists.
We are very glad that new projects are being planned as well as that I have an opportunity to meet with you today, review the results of last year’s work and outline prospects for the near future, in a personal conversation.
Of course, we continue to work actively in various key areas of international politics in constant contact with you. Our ministries and agencies constantly exchange information and coordinate their position on key areas. We also work in various international organisations and on international platforms. We are very glad to hold this meeting on the sidelines the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, which is one of them.
I am very glad to meet with you again, Mr President.
President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan (retranslated):
Mr President.
For quite a long time, I have not been able to meet my dear friend, and we practised telephone diplomacy. In the meantime, our respective agencies were in constant contact with each other – specifically, the Turkish Foreign Minister, the Minister of Treasury and the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. They have maintained continuous contact with their colleagues in Russia. Today we are here with you. It is a very important step.
As concerns the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, we are building it together. We hope to put it into operation in the nearest future. With that, we have had contacts regarding the construction of another nuclear power plant in the city of Sinop. I believe we can and we will make serious steps.
On this matter, I want to point out that the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources continues its contacts with colleagues in Russia.Following their meetings, I want to note that the companies Botas and Gazprom continue their contacts based on sincere grounds.
As you said, a turnover of US$25 billion is very insignificant. We have set a goal of US$100 billion, and I believe we will achieve it. We do have sufficient trade potential.
Regarding the tourist sector, about seven million tourists will visit our country, and it is very important. We will welcome Russian tourists in our country. It is a matter of great significance to us, and we sincerely care about it. I also want to note that we will continue making improvements, as long as Russian tourists are happy with our hospitality.
Our country’s path is strong and continues to grow stronger, and we want to further develop warm relations between Russia and Turkiye.
There is one more thing to say. I look forward to welcoming you, Mr President, to my country very soon.
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Source – The Kremlin – VISIT WEBSITE
Russian President: Meeting with Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif
Vladimir Putin had a meeting with Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin:
Mr Prime Minister,
I am very glad to see you.Wemettwo years ago, also on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Samarkand, where we had the opportunity to discuss bilateral relations and our cooperation on the international stage.
I would like to note that during this time, relations between the two countries have been developing in business-like and friendly spirit. We can also see a growth in trade, and prospects in this sphere look great.
I would like to particularly emphasise two key areas: cooperation in the energy and agro-industrial sectors. We have started supplying energy resources to Pakistan, and we are ready to further increase these supplies. As per your request, Russia is actively working to support Pakistan’s food security by increasing grain supplies to the Pakistani market.
Our foreign ministries also cooperate in various international organisations and on international platforms, as I have already mentioned, including the United Nations.
Mr Prime Minister,
We are happy to see that our friendly relations have thrived over the decades. I hope that our meeting today will contribute to further strengthening the ties between Russia and Pakistan.
I am delighted to see you, Mr Prime Minister.
Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif:
Thank you very much, Mr President. It is really a great honour and a pleasure to meet you, and I am very happy to meet you after we met in Samarkand on the sidelines of the SCO.
Once again, I would like to congratulate you on your re-election, and I am sure the Russian Federation will further progress under your able leadership.
Mr President, I am very happy to share with you that our bilateral relations have had a positive trajectory over the last many years. This is a matter of great comfort for us and I would like to work with you closely to further cement our relations. We have a whole lot to do, and we can benefit from your experience. We can certainly enhance our trade, which is at the moment approaching US$1 billion. And, of course, on my request, you were very kind to promote cooperation in the field of energy, and we received a shipment of oil from your great country, and I am very grateful for that. We really need to further move in this direction.
Your Excellency, our relations stand on our own strength. Neither our relations are driven by any geopolitical contingency, nor are they impacted by our relations with other countries. Pakistan has very long-standing business relations with your great country. If you remember, I mentioned it to you last time: during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, we had bilateral trade under barter. We used to import a lot of machinery and goods from erstwhile Soviet Russia, and we used to export textile and leather goods to your country, and it was under barter. I think that today is the time we can overcome financial and other banking issues by renewing our trade and expanding our trade under barter. That will be very beneficial to Pakistan, and we will be able to overcome lots of many other problems.
Mr President, once again I would like to thank you for this opportunity. I would like to assure you, on my behalf and on behalf of the people of Pakistan, that we really want to further strengthen our relations.
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Source – The Kremlin – VISIT WEBSITE
Russian President: Meeting with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev
Vladimir Putin met with President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin:
Mr Aliyev, I am very happy to see you again.
Our cooperation is extensive. I believe we would have plenty to discuss even if we met every month.
I would like to highlight the positive development in the key area, which is our trade and economic cooperation. Our trade volume exceeds US$4 billion, and Russian direct investments in Azerbaijan’s economy amount to US$4.3–4.5 billion.
The trend is positive, with a growth rate of approximately 13 percent in the first six months of this year. Everything is progressing well.
I would also like to mention our infrastructure plans, particularly the well-known North-South Transport Corridor, which is our top priority. I hope we will discuss this further. There are opportunities in other spheres, too, such as energy and industrial cooperation.
We act as envisaged in the agreement that you and I signed back in late 2022. It serves as a strong foundation to develop relations in all areas.
I would also like to acknowledge the cultural aspect. I understand that the Days of Russian Culture recently concluded in Azerbaijan. I appreciate your personal dedication to supporting the Russian language. There are over 300 schools in Azerbaijan that provide instruction to young people and children in Russian. This provides a strong foundation with good prospects for maintaining and advancing our relations in the future.
I am delighted to see you.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev:
Thank you, Mr President. I am delighted to see you again.
As you mentioned, we have many issues to discuss, but this is how our meetings work. We meet almost every month – last time, I visited Moscow in the second half of April, and now we meet again just over a month later. As you also noted, this shows that we have a lot of issues to discuss and that they are being addressed successfully. It is also evident from the growth in trade, both this year and last, that economic cooperation is thriving.
It is gratifying that mutual payments in national currencies are also growing, already accounting for over 70 percent of Azerbaijani’s exports to Russia, and about 50 percent of Russian exports to Azerbaijan. This demonstrates that what we discussed a few years ago is now being successfully implemented.
Humanitarian cooperation has always been at the core of our relations. I am grateful to you for always noting and appreciating the widespread attitude towards the Russian language, Russian culture and literature in Azerbaijan. This has been confirmed once again by the Days of Russian Culture in Azerbaijan festival, which was a great success.
About a million students in Azerbaijan are enrolled in Russian-language programmes, with 150,000 attending Russian schools, and another 800,000 studying Russian as a second language. In other words, the future generation of our citizens will have active interactions with Russia and speak Russian just as we do.
We discussed the North-South project at our previous meeting in Moscow. A few positive events have taken place since then, and we will talk about them. We are determined to expand the transport corridor infrastructure on the Azerbaijani side. Although it is physically in place, it is not meeting the plans of our partners and neighbours to maximise the use of this project.
As you noted, there are new ideas in the energy sector, and our respective agencies are in touch. We will also discuss this today, as well as all other areas.
As you noted, in 2022 we signed the Allied Declaration, which is being successfully implemented; all the provisions of that declaration are reflected in real life. We have been working together as allies for more than two years and achieving good results. Today we will talk about this in detail.
Thank you again for the opportunity to meet with you.
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Source – The Kremlin – VISIT WEBSITE