Putin arrives in China for key regional security summit amid stalled Ukraine peace talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in China on Sunday to a rolled-out red carpet for a summit in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin for an extraordinary regional summit, Chinese and Russian state media reported.

Putin is among a dozen leaders attending the regional security summit, which comes at a crunch moment in talks over his war on Ukraine, and for a summit that's demonstrating a strong show of unity among Global South leaders.

Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Iran's president are set to meet during the summit in what analysts have said presents a possible challenge to the often incoherent approaches by the United States to trade and regional conflicts. 

Among the key issues for Putin will be how to align Moscow and Beijing's positions on the Ukraine war amid persistent US efforts to end the fighting.

Despite China's claims to be a neutral mediator in the conflict, the two nations have become closer since the invasion began in 2022.

Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the possibility that China may act as a security guarantee in the case of a future Russia-Ukraine peace agreement to end Moscow's invasion.

“China helped Russia by opening the drone market,” Zelenskyy said.

Putin lauds Russia-China relations

Ahead of his arrival, Putin on Saturday praised relations between Moscow and Beijing, saying they have reached an “unprecedentedly high level,” highlighting the partnership's strategic and economic aspects.

He is expected to stay in China, his most important ally, for four days in what is an unusually long visit for the Russian leader.

According to Chinese state media, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, which Beijing calls the “largest-ever,” would be used for “charting the blueprint for the bloc’s next decade of development.” 

The full membership of the SCO includes Russia, Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Originally seen as a foil to U.S. influence in Central Asia, the original organisation picked up four new members with the addition of India and Pakistan in 2017, Iran in 2023, and Belarus in 2024.

The SCO's two-day summit may shed more light on issues surrounding the group's activities and intentions. 

Now in its 25th year, the annual summit, which China is hosting this year, comes just days before a massive military parade through Beijing to mark the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender at the end of WWII.

Putin is expected to attend the ceremony, which will also have in attendance a rare appearance of Kim Jong-un of North Korea.