Putin Thanks China, India For Ukraine Peace Push At SCO Summit 2025 In Tianjin

Russian President Vladimir Putin used the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin on Monday, September 1, to thank China and India for their 'efforts and proposals' to help end the war in Ukraine. He said understandings reached with US President Donald Trump at their Alaska summit in August could also 'open the way' to peace, and he promised to brief fellow leaders during his bilateral meetings at the summit. These remarks came in his address to the SCO forum, which gathered leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

At the Shanghai Cooperation Council (SCO) Members Session in Tianjin, China, Russian President Vladimir Putin says, "I appreciate China and India's efforts to resolve the crisis in Ukraine.(Pic Source: DD News) twitter/Xyq0IkOFC7

- ANI (@ANI) September 1, 2025

ANI quoted the Russian President reiterating Moscow's position, "Crisis in Ukraine did not arise as result of 'invasion,' but as a result of a coup d'etat in Kyiv, supported by Ukraine's western allies."

Putin repeated Moscow's long-held view of the conflict, arguing the crisis 'did not arise as the result of an invasion', but from a 2014 coup in Kyiv allegedly backed by Western countries, and from repeated Western attempts to pull Ukraine into NATO. Those claims are disputed by Ukraine and many Western governments, but they form a key part of Russia's public position. Putin framed the SCO as a place where countries can talk frankly and build a new kind of security order across Eurasia. He also highlighted how local currencies are being used more often in trade among member countries, a theme he has pushed in other forums too.

The setting for these comments was the 25th Heads of State Council meeting of the SCO, held in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1. The SCO is a Eurasian grouping founded in 2001; it now includes China, India and Russia among its 10 members, and focuses on security, economic links and people-to-people ties. This year's summit, the fifth hosted by China, brought together more than a dozen leaders and was billed as one of the largest in the organisation's history.

China's role as host was front and centre. In his opening address, President Xi Jinping urged members to uphold fairness and justice, reject Cold War-style bloc confrontation and bullying, and push for a more multipolar world where power is more evenly shared. Xi also tied the SCO's agenda to practical cooperation as he pledged 2 billion yuan (about $280 million) in grants for SCO states this year and an additional 10 billion yuan in loans to the SCO Interbank Consortium over three years, and encouraged members to use their 'mega-sized markets' to deepen trade and investment. Several outlets also noted Beijing's push to set up an SCO development bank.

The India-Russia-China dynamic drew plenty of attention. Before the plenary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared photos on X of his warm exchanges with both Putin and Xi. Cameras captured Putin and Modi smiling and hugging at the venue, underscoring cordial ties even as New Delhi maintains its independent stance on the Ukraine war and balances relations with major powers. PM Modi's office said he would address the plenary on regional cooperation and later hold a bilateral with Putin.

Interactions in Tianjin continue! Exchanging perspectives with President Putin and President Xi during the SCO Summit. twitter/K1eKVoHCvv

- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 1, 2025

"Always a delight to meet President Putin!" he said.

Putin and PM Modi were seen walking hand in hand towards Xi.

Always a delight to meet President Putin! twitter/XtDSyWEmtw

- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 1, 2025

The three also exchanged a few light remarks ahead of the SCO Summit's plenary session after which they walked towards the stage for a family photo of the SCO members.

Putin's Alaska remarks were among the most closely watched lines of the day. He told SCO leaders that 'understandings' reached with Trump in Anchorage in mid-August could help move diplomacy forward. Russian and Western media have reported on that Trump-Putin meeting, and the Kremlin signaled ahead of the SCO that Putin would brief Xi and other leaders on the talks. Still, it's not yet clear how those understandings might translate into concrete steps or timelines.

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