Leaders of China and Russia meet at SCO summit in Kyrgyzstan

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin met on August 31, 2026, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. The two leaders emphasized the strength of their strategic partnership, describing it as a model for interstate relations. Xi noted that global uncertainties are increasing and expressed a desire to work with Russia and other nations to reform global governance toward a multipolar, orderly world.

Putin highlighted the importance of deepening cooperation in digital innovation, specifically mentioning artificial intelligence. The meeting took place ahead of the full SCO summit, which concludes on Tuesday, September 1. Other regional leaders, including Iran's Masoud Pezeshkian, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan, India's Narendra Modi, and Pakistan's Shehbaz Sharif, are also in attendance at the Bishkek event, which serves as a forum to discuss regional issues and counter Western influence. According to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, the leaders did not discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine during their session, focusing instead on broader strategic and bilateral cooperation. The meeting follows their previous encounter in May, reaffirming the long-term intent of both nations to align their geopolitical interests.