On August 31, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in the Northern Chinese port city of Tianjin to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, where he is also expected to hold talks with leaders of several countries on the sidelines.

The SCO, founded in 2001 in Shanghai by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, has grown into a comprehensive regional organization with ten member states, including India, Pakistan, Iran, and Belarus, alongside two observer states and 14 dialogue partners. Russia and China maintain close cooperation within the SCO framework.

Accompanying President Putin is a high-level delegation, including three deputy prime ministers, several ministers, and representatives from leading Russian enterprises, underscoring the deepening comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Russia in the new era.

In a pre-visit interview, President Putin highlighted that the SCO Summit would strengthen the organization’s capacity to address contemporary challenges and threats while fostering unity across the Eurasian space.

Following the summit, President Putin will travel to Beijing for a significant Russia-China meeting on September 2, focusing on expanding bilateral economic cooperation, key regional and international issues, and the Ukraine conflict. On September 3, he will join over 20 world leaders at a military parade in Tiananmen Square to commemorate the victory over fascism.