Moscow [Russia], August 30 (ANI): Russian President Vladimir Putin has strongly criticized the “discriminatory” sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union on Moscow amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. In an interview with Xinhua News Agency ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, Putin said Russia and China share a common position against such sanctions, arguing they undermine the socioeconomic development of BRICS members and the wider global community.
Ahead of the summit, Putin noted that Russia-China relations have reached an “unprecedented level,” highlighting that bilateral trade with China, Russia’s leading partner, has grown by nearly USD 100 billion since 2021. “In terms of trade volume, China is by far Russia’s leading partner, while last year Russia ranked fifth among China’s foreign trade partners,” Putin told Xinhua. He added that transactions between the two nations are now almost entirely conducted in rubles and yuan.
Putin reaffirmed that China remains Russia’s top importer of oil and gas, stressing that both countries continue working to reduce bilateral trade barriers.
The Russian leader expressed hope that the SCO Summit would enhance the organization’s ability to respond to modern challenges and help shape a “fairer multipolar world order.”
“Drawing on these values, the SCO contributes to shaping a fairer, multipolar world order, grounded in international law, with the central coordinating role of the United Nations,” Putin said. “A major element of this global vision is the creation in Eurasia of an architecture of equal and indivisible security, including through close coordination among SCO member states,” he added.
On BRICS, Putin emphasized that Russia and China are focusing on mobilizing additional resources for critical infrastructure projects and remain united in strengthening BRICS’ ability to address global challenges.
Putin will attend the SCO Summit in Tianjin on August 31 and September 1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also scheduled to travel to Tianjin after concluding his visit to Japan. During his stay in China, Modi is expected to hold two significant bilateral meetings—one with Chinese President Xi Jinping and another with Russian President Putin. (ANI)
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