Russia's leader, Putin, justifies his country's invasion of Ukraine during discussions at the China summit, laying blame on the West

In the heart of Tianjin, China, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit took place, attended by global leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

The summit provided a platform for discussions on various international issues, with the crisis in Ukraine being a key topic. Putin, in his address, maintained that the conflict was not instigated by Russia but was the result of a coup supported and provoked by the West. He reiterated his stance, stating that the 2013-2014 pro-European revolution in Ukraine, which led to the ousting of a pro-Russian president, was backed by Western countries, including the United States and some European Union states.

Despite US President Donald Trump's urging for an agreement to end the war in Ukraine, peace proposals have stalled. Putin has rejected calls for a ceasefire and tabled hardline territorial and political demands as preconditions for peace, which Kyiv has ruled out as non-starters.

The annexation of the Crimean peninsula by Moscow and the backing of pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, which triggered a civil war in the country, were responses to the coup, Putin explained.

Putin expressed appreciation for China, India, and other strategic partners' efforts and proposals aimed at resolving the Ukrainian crisis. He further added that one of the reasons for the crisis is the West's constant attempts to drag Ukraine into NATO. Putin suggested that the world needs a new system to replace outdated Eurocentric and Euro-Atlantic models and take into account the interests of a wide circle of countries.

In a series of bilateral meetings, Putin will discuss diplomacy to end the conflict and his recent talks with Trump. He is also scheduled to meet Modi, Pezeshkian, and Turkey's Erdogan for separate talks later on Monday.

Moscow and Beijing have promoted the SCO as an alternative to Western-led political and security blocs, including NATO. The organisation aims to foster cooperation and mutual trust among its member states.

As the discussions at the SCO summit continue, the international community awaits developments in the resolution of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

Russia's leader, Putin, justifies his country's invasion of Ukraine during discussions at the China summit, laying blame on the West