Defiant Putin assures Asian leaders that Russia is stable

Addressing the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia would stand up against Western sanctions and "provocations."

Putin struck a defiant tone as he sought to reassure Asian leaders in the wake of an aborted insurrection by Wagner Group mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin that was the greatest challenge to Putin's domination of Russia since he came to power.

What did Putin tell SCO leaders?

The Russian leader said the Russian people were "consolidated as never before."

"Russian political circles and the whole of society clearly demonstrated their unity and their elevated sense of responsibility for the fate of the Fatherland when they responded as a united front against an attempted armed mutiny."

The summit also holds particular importance for Moscow as it seeks to show that the West has failed to isolate it following Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with Russia seeking to strengthen trade and diplomacy links elsewhere.

"Russia is confidently resisting and will continue to resist external pressure, sanctions, and provocations," Putin said.

Putin thanked Asian leaders for their support for the Russian leadership as the failed rebellion unfolded.

"I would like to thank my colleagues from the SCO countries who expressed support for the actions of the Russian leadership to protect the constitutional order and the life and security of citizens," the Russian president said.

Putin said Moscow wants to boost trade with its SCO partners and would support a transition to trade deals in local currencies — in a challenge to Western attempts to restrict the Russian economy with sanctions.

He also warned of an increase in the potential for conflicts and the risk of a global economic crisis.

Also addressing the meeting, China's President Xi Jinping called for efforts to achieve "long-term peace and stability in the region" and said the summit's focus should be on pragmatic cooperation and accelerating economic recovery. 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted the meeting, which was also addressed by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and leaders of four central Asian countries, as well as Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, whose country is set to join the SCO.

What is the SCO?

The eight-member SCO comprises China, India, and Russia as well as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

While the alliance is headquartered in Beijing, India is hosting the virtual summit as it holds the SCO's rotating presidency. 

India announced in May that the summit would be held online, a contrast with last year's in-person event in Samarkand, Uzbekistan where Putin posed for photographs and dined with other world leaders. 

For India, the optics of physically hosting Putin and Xi just two weeks after Modi was granted a  state visit by US President Joe Biden could have proved difficult.

None of the SCO's members has condemned Russia in UN resolutions, instead abstaining when votes have been taken on the issue.

Instead, China has sent an envoy to seek mediation between Russia and Ukraine, while India has appealed for the conflict to be resolved peacefully.

Also attending as observer nations are Belarus and Mongolia.

Taken as a whole, including "dialogue partner" nations and observers interested in joining, the SCO sphere makes up about half of the world's population.

rc/ab (Reuters, AFP, dpa, AP)