'Arrival of Putin at China summit: Shaping a Fairer Multipolar World Structure'

Russian President Vladimir Putin is currently participating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in China, which runs until Monday under the chairmanship of Chinese President Xi Jinping. The meeting, the largest since the SCO's founding in 2001, brings together leaders from various nations, including Iranian President Massoud Peseschkian, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Putin, who landed in Tianjin on Sunday, stated in an interview with the official Chinese news agency Xinhua that the summit will strengthen the SCO's capabilities to respond to current challenges and threats and consolidate solidarity in the shared Eurasian space. The SCO includes China, Belarus, India, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, and four Central Asian states, with 16 additional countries as observers or "dialogue partners."

The Ukraine war may be on the agenda during the meetings between Putin and Modi, as well as between Putin and other leaders. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a productive phone call with Indian Prime Minister Modi to discuss peace efforts in the Ukraine conflict. India "unequivocally supports all efforts in this direction," according to reports.

In a surprising development, Russia's Arctic LNG 2 secretly docked in China despite US sanctions. This move has raised questions about China's stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with Zelenskyy accusing China of not contributing to the end of the conflict and supporting Russia with drones. China, however, describes itself as neutral in the Ukraine war.

Amidst these geopolitical tensions, India has offered to send "appropriate signals" to Russia and other countries at the summit in China. Indian Prime Minister Modi plans to use his visit on Monday for a bilateral meeting with Putin.

In a separate but significant event, China will host a military parade in Beijing on Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II, with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un among the expected attendees. The SCO summit and the military parade underscore the complex web of international relations in the region.