Putin Engages with Global Leaders Amid Escalating Tensions
This year’s summit prominently addresses U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade policies, particularly the imposition of 50 percent tariffs on Indian goods due to New Delhi’s continued procurement of Russian oil. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin faces new Western sanctions as his military actions in Ukraine persist, reports 24brussels.
Michael McFaul, a senior fellow at Stanford University and former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, highlighted a significant geopolitical shift: “How in the hell did Trump so alienate Modi that he’s now attending a summit with autocrats, Xi and Putin?” He emphasized the rapid deterioration of relations, noting, “Just last year, China and India were at war with each other!”
Both Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi appear intent on resetting their historically strained relationship, motivated by a mixture of mutual distrust and unaddressed border conflicts. Analysts caution that the implications of their interactions extend globally. Chatham House researchers Chietigj Bajpaee and Yu Jie assert, “What happens in this relationship matters to the rest of the world.”
They further suggest that if Western nations, particularly the United States, genuinely aim to support India as a key ally against a burgeoning China, they must recalibrate their expectations regarding India’s role. “India was never going to be the bulwark against China that the West thought it was… Modi’s China visit marks a potential turning point,” they concluded.
Putin is scheduled to remain in China until Wednesday when Xi hosts a military parade commemorating the conclusion of World War II and Japan’s surrender. The event will also feature North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, alongside Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico and Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić.
