Turkish President Erdogan travels to Russia to meet with Putin

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has embarked on a trip to China, where he is set to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin on September 1st. The SCO, initially formed by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan in Shanghai in 2001, has since expanded to include Belarus, India, Iran, and Pakistan.

The SCO summit provides a platform for discussions on regional and global issues, as well as opportunities for economic cooperation. The focus of the organization remains on counter-terrorism, counter-extremism, and drug trafficking prevention, reflecting global concerns about these issues.

Erdogan's departure was seen off by official representatives, including Vice President Jévdet Yılmaz and Ankara Governor Vasip Şahin. During the summit, Erdogan is expected to hold meetings with leaders of other countries, although specific countries were not mentioned. Among those meetings, Erdogan is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The SCO summit is not the first for Erdogan, as he has participated in previous summits. In fact, on Monday, September 1, 2025, Erdogan and Putin met at the SCO summit's main venue, the Tianjin Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center, where they discussed peace efforts and bilateral relations on the sidelines of the summit.

In addition to these meetings, Erdogan is also expected to deliver a speech at the expanded session of the SCO summit in Tianjin, China, on September 1. The SCO's continued growth and focus on crucial global issues underscore its importance in the international community.