Days after the failed armed mutiny by the Russian mercenary Wagner group, Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) leaders for “expressing their support for the Russian leadership in defending the constitutional order, lives and security of its citizens”.

Participating in the SCO leaders’ summit hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, being held in virtual mode, Putin said Russia will “continue to resist external pressure, sanctions and provocations”, and the “Russian people are more consolidated than ever”.

“Counter-terrorism, countering extremism and religious radicalism, curbing drug trafficking and other types of smuggling, combating militant formations must remain a priority of the SCO. I would like to recall Russia’s proposal to transform the regional SCO anti-terrorist structure into a universal centre that would be responsible for responding to the entire range of security threats,” he said.

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“Traditionally, the SCO focuses on the situation in Afghanistan… This is a situation that, unfortunately, is not becoming less tense,” he said. “Russia supports the draft New Delhi declaration, which outlines goals and tasks related to the further comprehensive development of our interaction and consolidated approaches to relevant international issues,” he said.

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He said the SCO is “strongly committed to creating a truly just and multipolar world order, an order based on international law and common principles of mutually respectful cooperation between sovereign states with the central, coordinating role of the United Nations”.

“Most importantly, this is the constructive foundation underlying the SCO’s practical activity… this is especially important today, when geopolitical discord grows bigger, the degradation of the international security system continues, risks of a new global economic and financial crisis increase against the backdrop of an uncontrolled debt accumulation by developed countries, social divide and growth of poverty, deterioration of food and environmental security. All these issues lead to a significant increase in conflict potential. Russia is experiencing all of this right now,” he said.

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Referring to the Ukraine conflict, he said: “External forces have been implementing a project near our borders to create from our neighbour, Ukraine, a de facto hostile state, an ‘anti-Russia’… We are being subjected to a hybrid war, with illegitimate anti-Russian sanctions… I would like to stress that Russia is confidently resisting external pressure, sanctions and provocations… The Russian people are more consolidated than ever….”

© The Indian Express (P) Ltd