Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are in Kazakhstan on July 3 as part of a two-day summit for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which is poised to admit Belarus as a member.
The expected expansion of the club of Eurasian countries is part of another push from Beijing and Moscow to use the regional security bloc as a counterweight to promote alternatives to the Western institutions that make up the U.S.-led world order.
The annual SCO leaders summit in Astana will also provide a valuable platform for Putin as Russia’s war in Ukraine grinds well into its third year and the Russian leader is eager to showcase that he’s not internationally isolated.
Beyond adding Belarus, the summit is set to focus on better coordination for counterterrorism in the region, which remains high on the agenda for members following Moscow’s Crocus City Hall attack in April. The …
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