Xi and Putin criticize the West at Eurasian summit

Monday 01 September 2025 - 07:22

By: Sahili Aya

Xi and Putin criticize the West at Eurasian summit

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin launched strong attacks against the United States and the West on Monday during a high-level summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), held in Tianjin, China. The gathering brought together leaders from across Eurasia and aimed to present an alternative vision of global governance amid growing international tensions.

In his opening speech, Xi denounced what he called a “Cold War mentality” and “acts of intimidation,” a clear reference to U.S. policies. He emphasized the need to promote a fairer and more inclusive system of globalization, defending both the role of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. “We must oppose bloc confrontation and advocate for a multipolar world with just and reasonable governance,” Xi stated.

Putin, for his part, once again blamed the West for the ongoing war in Ukraine. “This crisis did not begin with Russia’s military action but with a coup in Ukraine, supported and provoked by the West,” he argued, accusing NATO of fueling instability by seeking to draw Kyiv into its orbit.

The summit, the largest in the SCO’s history since its creation in 2001, gathered leaders from around 20 nations, including Turkey, Iran, India, Pakistan, and Belarus. With nearly half of the world’s population and over 23% of global GDP represented, the SCO projects itself as a counterweight to NATO, highlighting its energy reserves and strategic importance.

Adding to the geopolitical symbolism, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is expected to attend a military parade in Beijing commemorating the end of World War II, marking one of his rare trips abroad. His presence underscores the strengthening ties between Pyongyang, Moscow, and Beijing, despite Western accusations that China indirectly supports Russia’s war effort.