Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that diplomatic efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict remain largely frozen, warning that Russia is preparing large-scale retaliatory strikes against Ukrainian energy facilities.
Speaking to reporters in the early hours on Wednesday before concluding his visit to Kyrgyzstan, Putin said that any meaningful negotiations must contain substantive content rather than proceed in what he described as a meaningless mode.
The Russian president characterized the current peace process as stalled.
Despite the deadlock, Putin signaled openness to engaging with representatives from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
He described presidential envoy Steven Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner as welcome guests in Russia, noting that Russia works with them willingly because they are trusted by the Trump and seek to fill discussions with concrete substance.
Regarding the situation on the front lines, Putin said that the Russian forces have been instructed to prepare for large-scale strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
He said that "if they strike our facilities, they will face a response."
Commenting on the recent visit to Moscow by the director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John Ratcliffe, Putin said that contact between Russian and U.S. intelligence agencies has always existed and has never been interrupted, even during the most difficult periods of the Cold War.
Putin says negotiations with Ukraine frozen, warns of retaliatory strikes
Chinese President Xi Jinping's key speech at the 2026 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan has resonated with international observers, who say his vision of global governance can help steer international relations on the right track at a time fraught with geopolitical challenges and economic uncertainties.
The two-day summit wrapped up in the Kyrgyz capital on Tuesday after bringing together leaders from more than 20 countries and other international organizations, and came as this year significantly marked the milestone 25th anniversary of the SCO's founding.
Since its establishment in 2001, the organization has grown from its original core membership comprising China, Russia and four Central Asian countries, to now include 10 member states, two observer countries, and 15 dialogue partners.
During the 26th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the "SCO Plus" meeting on Tuesday, President Xi put forward a four-point proposal, calling on the SCO to stay committed to putting development and people first, taking security as a key goal, and promoting dialogue and consultation.
International analysts and political figures gave their assessment of China's pivotal role within the bloc.
"China plays a pivotal role in the SCO and its significance keeps growing amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and global economic instability," said Amangeldy Tazhenov, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Foreign Policy Research Institute under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Meanwhile, others highlighted the importance of the Global Governance Initiative, which was first put forward by President Xi at the SCO Summit in north China's Tianjin last year and which seeks to build a more just and equitable multilateral world order.
"The Global Governance Initiative proposed by the Chinese President is of great significance. International relations are currently mired in a deep crisis and this initiative represents a potent attempt to resolve it. First, the initiative aims to further unite the vast number of developing countries and promote the establishment of a new world order based on fairness and justice that accommodates the interests of all parties. Therefore, the global governance initiative proposed by the Chinese President is timely, holds broad prospects, and can provide strong support for steering international relations toward positive development," said Sergei Rachkov, Chairman of the Standing Commission on International Affairs of the House of Representatives of Belarus.
International observers also stated that by actively advocating multilateral cooperation, China has promoted dialogue and consensus-building among nations, thereby injecting more positive energy into a currently turbulent world.
"President Xi Jinping's initiatives of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and also the Global Governance Initiative, strongly relate to the mandate and the values of the Shanghai security cooperation organization [the SCO]," said Sizo Nkala, a research fellow of Center for Africa-China Studies under University of Johannesburg.
Given the expanding influence of the SCO, many observers worldwide say they were keeping a keen eye on proceedings in Bishkek, which also saw United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in attendance.
"We look forward to positive outcomes from the SCO summit and continued progress in advancing China's Global Governance Initiative. Upholding openness and inclusiveness, the initiative emphasizes the practice of genuine multilateralism, and safeguards the authority and status of the United Nations," said Janusz Piechocinski, former deputy prime minister of Poland.
Xi's vision of global governance can steer int'l relations in right direction: experts
