Leaders from Russia, China, and India are meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, for the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit [1, 2].
The gathering serves as a strategic effort to strengthen regional ties and counter unilateralism. By promoting a multipolar world, member states aim to reduce reliance on Western-led geopolitical structures and enhance mutual trade [2, 5].
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are attending the events in Bishkek [1, 2]. The summit includes various bilateral meetings to address specific national interests. Putin is expected to hold nine bilateral meetings during his working visit [6].
The Al Jazeera editorial team said the two-day summit aims to promote a vision of a multipolar world and mutual trade ties amid Trump's unilateralism [2]. The event follows a separate Media and Think-Tank summit that opened on July 28, 2026 [3].
President Xi is attending the summit as part of a state visit to Kyrgyzstan [4]. Following the events in Bishkek, Xi is scheduled to travel to Egypt from Aug. 30 to Sept. 3, 2026 [4].
Other heads of state, including representatives from Iran, are also participating in the summit [1]. The organization continues to expand its influence across Eurasia by coordinating security and economic policies among its members [2, 5].
“The two-day summit aims to promote a vision of a multipolar world and mutual trade ties amid Trump's unilateralism.”
The 26th SCO summit underscores a growing alignment between major non-Western powers seeking to redistribute global influence. By coordinating on trade and security in Kyrgyzstan, these nations are attempting to create a diplomatic bloc that can operate independently of U.S. policy, signaling a shift toward a more fragmented and multipolar international system.
