Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin on Monday and spoke about the root cause of the Ukraine conflict, while lauding India and China's efforts to resolve the crisis.
He said the root causes of the crisis in Ukraine must be addressed, and a security balance must be established. Reiterating Russia's stance on the conflict, Putin said that the West's "attempts to drag Ukraine into NATO are one of the causes" of the crisis in Kyiv. Follow SCO Summit 2025 Live Updates
The Russian President further stated that the crisis did not arise as a result of 'invasion', but "as a result of a coup d'état in Kyiv, supported by Ukraine's Western allies".
He affirmed that Moscow adheres to the principle that no country can ensure its security at the expense of another.
India, China's efforts; Alaska summit
Putin said he "appreciates China and India's efforts to resolve the crisis in Ukraine".
{{/usCountry}}Putin said he "appreciates China and India's efforts to resolve the crisis in Ukraine".
{{/usCountry}}He also mentioned his Alaska summit with US President Donald Trump last month and said he discussed the outcomes of that meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, and other leaders.
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Putin said he would inform other world leaders about the details from his Alaska meeting with Trump during bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the SCO Summit.
The Russian President affirmed that the understandings reached at the Alaska summit with Trump "open the way to peace in Ukraine".
He also said that the UN principles, including respect for the sovereignty of states, are still "valid and unshakable today".
Putin-Modi bilateral today
Putin will also hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the day.
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Before the summit began on Monday, PM Modi and Putin were seen sharing a warm hug as they met at the venue in Tianjin. "Always a delight to meet President Putin!" Modi wrote in a post on X.
In another interesting view at the SCO Summit, PM Modi, Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping seemed to be in an impromptu huddle of sorts, talking and sharing laughs with each other.