As The New York Times writes, three years ago at the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Putin appeared isolated and cornered. The Chinese leader expressed concern about Putin's invasion of Ukraine, the Indian Prime Minister emphasized that «today's era — is not an era of wars», and other partners tried to keep their distance from him.
Now, however, Putin's position has changed — and the world has changed with it, the publication believes. This is especially evident at the SCO forum in China. Putin used this stage to publicly accuse the West of the war in Ukraine, and the final resolution of the forum does not mention the war started by Russia.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry in its statement called it «surprising» that the final communiqué did not mention the «largest aggressive war in Europe since World War II», although it mentioned a «number of other wars, terrorist attacks, and events in the world».
This was largely facilitated by U.S. President Donald Trump, who ended Putin's isolation by welcoming him to American soil for the first time in ten years. In addition, he entered into a trade conflict with the leaders of Brazil, India, and South Africa, pushing them closer to the Kremlin.
«There was a sense that the war was somehow accepted», — NYT quotes Maria Repnikova, a professor at the Department of Global Communications at Georgia University.
Trump's relations with Modi deteriorated after the latter refused to acknowledge the U.S. President's role in ending the military conflict between India and Pakistan, NYT believes. In response, Trump imposed tariffs on India, accusing New Delhi of buying Russian oil.
From the first days of the war in Ukraine, Russia sought to establish diplomatic relations with countries outside the West, especially with China, India, and Turkey, which were a lifeline for Moscow's economy during wartime.
«Russia has created a network of relationships that matter for the Russian economy, legitimize Putin's system, and make the impact of the war on Russia less than it otherwise might have been», — says Michael Kimmage, director of the Kennan Institute in Washington.
At the same time, Trump's destructive trade wars and volatile foreign policy have opened new opportunities, as Putin and Xi present themselves as more stable potential partners.
«The Chinese argument, which the Russians are happy to join, is that the U.S. is the source of disorder, — says Kimmidge. — Now it's not just a meme or an argument».
Photo: Suo Takekuma