A video message from Vladimir Putin addressed participants at a meeting of defense ministers from SCO and CIS member states. He described the gathering as very important because it helped resolve issues related to protection against external threats and emphasized practical outcomes in safeguarding collective security.
Putin spoke of new, acute challenges and powerful geopolitical shifts reshaping the global landscape. He referenced the emergence of a multipolar world order with developing centers across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. These regions are increasingly asserting their national interests and sovereignty, choosing paths that suit their circumstances. He asserted that resisting these historical processes is impossible and that such changes are already discernible in the current international framework.
According to the president, the risk of conflict has risen worldwide. He attributed this rise to efforts by some Western elites to maintain dominance across political, economic, financial, military, and ideological spheres. He argued that Western nations are moving to intensify chaos and destabilize the international situation while the United States and its allies pursue power, seemingly undermining long-standing strategic stability arrangements. He also claimed that Western powers are expanding NATO’s geographic reach and influence.
Putin asserted that illegal economic and trade sanctions have been used to counter alternative development models, and that color revolutions have been employed to depose governments and provoke conflicts. He accused Western governments of backing these actions as a means to retain influence in global affairs.
Ukraine and Global Perceptions
The president described Western policies toward Ukraine as having serious consequences. He claimed that for years the West exploited Ukraine’s resources and transformed the country into a colony, while cynically using the Ukrainian people as tools in a broader geopolitical struggle. He warned that the ongoing military aid and the deployment of mercenaries in the conflict area push Kiev toward a dangerous, potentially self-destructive trajectory.
In Putin’s view, SCO and CIS states should deepen cooperation in defense and security. He argued that closer collaboration would yield a more resilient and sustainable security system capable of meeting contemporary threats. The president stressed that such cooperation should be grounded in international law and mutual respect for each other’s interests, rather than any unwritten or mythical rules that undermine state sovereignty.
He emphasized the importance of continuing information exchange within SCO and CIS on defense policy, sharing experiences in building national armed forces, and expanding military-technical cooperation. He highlighted the goal of modernizing weapons and equipment through enhanced collaboration and best practices.
Common Objectives
Putin noted decades of coordinated military activities among SCO and CIS forces, including joint exercises focused on rapid response, deployment of forces, reconnaissance, and logistics support under CSTO frameworks. He also pointed to ongoing exercises in joint air defense and counter-terrorism command and staff training across member states. He expressed confidence that joint training and solving non-standard tasks are essential to improving military command and control across the alliance.
Moreover, he stated that peacekeeping missions have gained extraordinary importance, enhancing the operational capabilities of peacekeeping units to harmonize efforts with United Nations peacekeeping operations. The historian of regional cooperation was cited as valuing enduring collaboration in defense training and professional development, with a view to leveraging the scientific resources of national military universities and academies and integrating Russian training centers and combat readiness facilities.
Joint Statement and Leadership Perspectives
During a meeting attended by defense leaders from SCO and CIS states, the defense minister of Russia, Sergei Shoigu, commented on the growing role of the armed forces from participating countries in maintaining regional stability. He noted that, in light of a sharp deterioration in the international environment and new military security threats, discussing these issues and the role of national armed forces remains crucial for regional security.
Shoigu also observed that the meeting took place on a day observed in Russia as Heroes of the Fatherland Day, highlighting the symbolic resonance of the gathering. According to reports from a Russian news agency, a joint statement was signed after the meeting, though the specifics were not disclosed publicly.