NEW DELHI: In the midst of its conflict with Ukraine, the attempted coup by the Wagner group raised the question in a section of the media if Russia’s all-powerful President Vladimir Putin has lost his grip.
However, on Tuesday, while addressing the virtual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, President Putin dismissed all such speculations with his trademark authority as he vowed that Russia would continue to withstand external pressure, sanctions and provocations imposed by Western countries over its military operation in Ukraine.
President Putin also expressed confidence in Russia’s ability to resist and stated that the nation will persist in its approach. “Russia is confidently resisting and will continue to resist external pressure, sanctions and provocations,” the Russian President said.
Following Moscow’s conflict with Ukraine, the United States and the European Union implemented an unprecedented sanctions regime against Russia. As a result, Russia has shifted its focus towards Asian markets, particularly in terms of energy exports, to compensate for the economic impact of the sanctions.
President Putin also expressed his gratitude to SCO members for their support during a recent uprising led by the Wagner mercenary group, which posed a threat to Russia’s leadership. He thanked his colleagues for standing by Russia’s actions to protect the constitutional order and ensure the safety of its citizens.
“I would like to thank my colleagues from the SCO countries who expressed support for the actions of the Russian leadership to protect the constitutional order and the lives and security of citizens,” Putin said.
Meanwhile, addressing the Summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasised the importance of unity, cooperation, and regional autonomy. He urged regional leaders to take charge of their countries’ futures, indicating a desire to resist external influence in the region.
President Xi highlighted the chaotic and rapidly changing global landscape and the unprecedented challenges faced by human society. He advocated for “win-win” cooperation and stressed the need for strategic communication and coordination among SCO member countries.
“The world today is full of chaos, and changes unseen in a century are accelerating. Human society is facing unprecedented challenges. Unity or division? Peace or Conflict? Cooperation or confrontation?” President Xi said.
President Xi called for an independent formulation of foreign policies based on the long-term interests of the region. He emphasised the significance of holding the future and destiny of their respective countries’ development and progress in their own hands.
“We need to strengthen strategic communication and coordination … We must formulate foreign policies independently based on the overall and long-term interests of the region, and firmly hold the future and destiny of our country’s development and progress in our own hands,” he added.