Putin Leverages SCO Partnerships Amid Ukraine Stalemate

At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, President Vladimir Putin met leaders of Iran, China, India, Turkey and other members. The gatherings reaffirmed economic, diplomatic and security ties that Moscow increasingly depends on as its war in Ukraine drags on without a decisive outcome.

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Since the 2022 invasion, Russia has faced Western sanctions and a shrinking pool of partners. The conflict has stalled, and Russian forces have suffered heavy losses. In response, Moscow has deepened relations with the SCO bloc, originally formed to counterbalance U.S. influence. The summit let Putin signal solidarity with Iran, underscore the “robust momentum” of the partnership with China, and court India, Turkey and others for trade and strategic support.

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• Casualties: CSIS estimates Russian forces incurred about 1.4 million battlefield casualties, including up to 450,000 deaths, between February 2022 and June 2026.

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• Territorial loss: CSIS reports a net loss of 400 sq km of Russian-controlled territory during April and May.

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• Economic strain: Russia’s key interest rate was 14 % at the end of August, and the federal budget showed a 6.455 trillion-ruble deficit (about 2.8 % of GDP) through July, after oil and gas revenues fell 16.8 % year-on-year.

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• China’s share: Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center director Alexander Gabuek estimated China supplied more than 40 % of Russian imports and accounted for over 30 % of export revenues.

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• Indian oil imports: Reuters data show Russian crude made up a record 50.83 % of India’s oil imports in July, roughly 2.47 million barrels per day.

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• North Korean support: CSIS’s Korea Chair estimates Pyongyang has transferred more than 15 million artillery shells and deployed roughly 14,000–15,000 troops to assist Russia.

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• Putin on Iran: Putin told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Russia stood with the Iranian people and would preserve economic ties despite the “military and political environment.”

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• China’s affirmation: On August 31, President Xi Jinping said bilateral cooperation had maintained “robust momentum.”

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• Kremlin on Power of Siberia 2: Spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted Russia and China have not agreed on a clear implementation timetable for the pipeline.

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• India’s position: Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Putin “my friend” and praised expanding economic ties, adding that the Ukraine war must end for humanity’s sake.

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• Turkey’s SCO ambitions: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Turkey would seek expanded SCO cooperation and floated the idea of full SCO membership, which would make Turkey the first NATO member to join the bloc.

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• Pipeline timeline: The May 2024 visit to China produced 42 signed documents, none of which included a construction schedule for the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline.

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• Iranian drone supply: CSIS notes Iranian Shahed drones have been used in Ukraine, but the durability of that supply chain under U.S. pressure on Tehran remains unclear.

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• North Korean aid: Public acknowledgments of North Korean troop deployments surfaced in April 2025, yet the precise scale of ongoing ammunition transfers is based on estimates rather than verified counts.

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Analysts highlight two pivotal developments: securing a construction schedule for the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline and maintaining high-volume Indian oil purchases. Without progress, Moscow’s strategic options may remain constrained, with partners able to set commercial terms or withhold assistance. The Bishkek summit shows that, despite Western isolation, Russia can still assemble a coalition of economically and militarily significant allies.

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