BISHKEK, September 1, 2026: Russian President Vladimir Putin has highlighted the growing influence of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), describing the grouping as one of the major independent centres of influence in an emerging multipolar world and calling for deeper political, economic, energy, cultural and humanitarian cooperation among its member states. Speaking at the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek, Putin said the organisation had travelled a “long and significant” path over the past 25 years since its establishment in 2001 by Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. He said the organisation had since expanded and strengthened its role, becoming not only one of the largest regional organisations across Eurasia but also an increasingly important force on the global stage. According to Putin, SCO member states now represent almost half of the world’s population and account for more than one-third of global gross domestic product, giving the organisation considerable economic and geopolitical weight. Putin said cooperation among member states in political, economic, humanitarian and social fields was contributing to sustainable development while strengthening peace, stability, mutual confidence and cooperation across Eurasia. He placed particular emphasis on expanding trade and investment links, saying growing economic ties were producing tangible benefits and supporting improvements in living standards. Russia’s trade with other SCO members exceeded $400 billion in 2025, Putin said, while the share of national currencies in Russia’s transactions with SCO countries had risen above 98 percent, reflecting Moscow’s push for greater use of national currencies in cross-border settlements. He also pointed to the role of the SCO Business Council and the consortium of banks in financing projects of mutual interest and said a future SCO development bank could become an important instrument for supporting economic cooperation. Putin argued that such a financial institution should remain as independent as possible from financial systems of countries that, in his view, use economic instruments to pursue unilateral advantages in international affairs. The Russian president also called for continued implementation of a coordinated and balanced energy policy under the SCO’s energy cooperation strategy through 2030, presenting energy cooperation as a key area of shared interest among member states. Beyond economics, Putin praised the organisation’s expanding cultural and humanitarian ties, noting cooperation in education, healthcare, environmental protection, science and youth exchanges. He highlighted the SCO University, which he said brings together more than 100 universities from member states, as well as women’s forums aimed at strengthening the role of women in public and political life, business and social affairs. Putin also referred to the World Nomad Games being held in Kyrgyzstan, saying representatives from Russia and several other SCO countries were participating and confirming Russia’s readiness to host the next edition in Kazan in 2028. He added that Russia expected prominent cultural and artistic figures from SCO member states to attend the International Forum of United Cultures in St Petersburg later in September. In a broader appeal, Putin urged SCO members to strengthen multilateral cooperation in support of security, peaceful development and prosperity across Eurasia. Referring to September 1 as the date associated with the outbreak of the Second World War, he warned against allowing the promotion and escalation of armed conflicts to become part of international conduct. Putin said continued joint efforts within the SCO could contribute to preventing such a trend and advancing a more cooperative international order. His remarks underscored Moscow’s vision of the SCO as an increasingly influential platform for economic integration, financial cooperation, energy coordination, cultural exchange and security dialogue at a time when the global balance of power is undergoing significant change.
SCO’s influence is growing in a multipolar world, Putin calls for stronger cooperation
