Xi, Putin discuss bilateral times, global developments — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have reaffirmed their strategic partnership amid growing uncertainty in the international order. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Monday, their first meeting since May. Xi said ties between Beijing and Moscow had become “more solid” and expressed optimism about the future of bilateral cooperation, Al Jazeera reported. Putin said cooperation between the two countries was “successfully developing on all fronts”. The two-day SCO summit marks the 25th anniversary of the regional grouping and is being attended by more than a dozen heads of state, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Russia has become increasingly dependent on China economically following Western sanctions over its war in Ukraine. Western countries have urged Beijing to use its influence to persuade Moscow to end the conflict. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Xi-Putin meeting focused mainly on economic ties, with the Ukraine war discussed only briefly. Putin also met Modi, who said India was ready to work towards ending the Ukraine conflict. Putin said Moscow was moving towards a resolution. US-brokered peace talks between Russia and Ukraine remain stalled.