Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that NATO’s enlargement must be dealt with if there is to be lasting peace in Ukraine, after holding talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a regional summit in Tianjin.
Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting, Putin argued that the “root causes” of the conflict — including NATO’s eastward expansion — needed to be eliminated. He said a “fair balance in the security sphere” must also be restored, repeating long-standing Russian demands on European security.
Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 after years of fighting in the east between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces. Russia currently controls less than one-fifth of Ukraine. Kyiv and Western allies describe the war as an unprovoked invasion, while Moscow portrays it as a defensive struggle against Western encroachment.
On the sidelines of the SCO summit, Modi and Putin walked hand in hand to meet Xi, where the three leaders exchanged smiles and brief remarks. The show of unity highlighted the growing role of China and India, both major buyers of Russian oil, in Moscow’s efforts to withstand Western sanctions.
Putin also referred to talks held with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska last month, saying the “understandings” reached there had opened a way to peace. He told the forum that he had already shared the details of those discussions with Xi and planned to brief other leaders in separate meetings.
“We highly appreciate the efforts and proposals from China and India aimed at facilitating the resolution of the Ukrainian crisis,” Putin said.
At the 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest, leaders agreed that Ukraine and Georgia would eventually become members. Ukraine later enshrined NATO and European Union membership in its constitution in 2019. Moscow has demanded that the West abandon further NATO enlargement and lift some sanctions as part of any settlement.
While Putin emphasised dialogue, Ukraine and Western capitals remain sceptical of Moscow’s conditions, which they see as attempts to legitimise territorial gains and undermine Kyiv’s sovereignty.
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