Putin Calls SCO World's Largest Regional Bloc at Bishkek Summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin joined heads of state from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Tuesday for the bloc's annual summit. The gathering brought together leaders from Russia, China, and India, alongside other member states, in a forum often positioned as a counterweight to U.S.-led global institutions.

In his address, Putin described the SCO as "the largest regional organization not only on our shared Eurasian continent, but also in the world as a whole." He also marked the anniversary of the start of World War II, urging member nations to work toward eliminating "any acts of provocation leading to armed conflict" from global practice.

The SCO was founded in 2001 by China, Russia, and four Central Asian states as a security-focused forum. Over the past quarter-century, it has expanded to include ten full members: Russia, China, India, Iran, Pakistan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, with several other nations holding dialogue-partner status.

Despite its growth, the organization's goals and programs remain broadly defined, and its international visibility is limited. China, alongside Russia, has increasingly framed the SCO as an alternative to Western-aligned groupings such as the G7, pledging development assistance and financial support to expand the bloc's reach and influence.