Russian foreign policy under Vladimir Putin is sharply defined by two core strategies: a deep pivot to China and a direct challenge to the West. This dual approach was on full display in his statements preceding the SCO Summit, where he simultaneously celebrated one relationship and condemned the other.
The pivot to China is described as an overwhelming success. Putin hailed their partnership as “unprecedented,” citing a $100 billion trade boom and a successful shift away from the US dollar. This alliance is presented as the stable, prosperous cornerstone of Russia’s future.
The challenge to the West is equally direct. Putin lashed out at “discriminatory sanctions” imposed by the US and EU, framing them as illegitimate acts of economic aggression that hinder global development. He is actively working to build coalitions like the SCO and BRICS to resist and eventually overturn this Western dominance.
This clear-cut foreign policy will guide Russia’s actions in Tianjin. Putin will work to deepen the indispensable alliance with Beijing while rallying other nations to join his cause of dismantling the unipolar world order, making the SCO summit a key arena for this global contest.