President Vladimir Putin is pursuing a classic two-front strategy in his confrontation with the West, a plan he laid out ahead of the SCO Summit. The first front is building economic resilience at home, while the second is launching a diplomatic offensive abroad.
The economic front is focused on insulating Russia from sanctions. The “unprecedented” partnership with China is key, with soaring trade, energy sales, and the move to national currencies creating a robust economic backbone that can withstand Western pressure.
The diplomatic front is aimed at winning allies and undermining the legitimacy of Western policies. Putin’s sharp condemnation of sanctions as “discriminatory,” his call for a “fairer world order,” and his championing of the SCO and BRICS are all part of this offensive to build a broad anti-Western coalition.
The SCO summit is where these two fronts converge. Putin will showcase Russia’s economic resilience as proof that his strategy is working, while simultaneously pressing his diplomatic case to a captive audience of global leaders, aiming to gain momentum in his push to reshape the world order.