Recent events on the international scene show that Western countries have not been able to achieve their goal of isolating Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Bloomberg, diplomatic attempts to portray Putin as isolated because of his intervention in Ukraine have proved ineffective.
The Russian president is in a whirlwind of diplomatic interaction, which nullifies the West's attempts to present him as isolated because of the war in Ukraine, Bloomberg reports.
In just two months from the start of his fifth presidential term, Putin held more than 20 meetings with the leaders of Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. In addition, he made six foreign visits, despite the fact that his ability to travel was limited.
It shows that the Russian leader's efforts to court the so-called Global South as a counterweight to the US-dominated world order are paying dividends.
Dialogue with Si
Putin wasted no time rekindling his friendship with Chinese President Xi Jinping, flying to Beijing just over a week after he was sworn in for another six-year term. This month, they met again "on the sidelines" of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kazakhstan. Xi Jinping, whose support has helped Russia defy unprecedented Western sanctions over the war in Ukraine, said China had "always been on the right side of history" as he and Putin pledged to "strengthen comprehensive strategic coordination".
Modi's visit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Moscow this week, his first visit to Russia in five years, sends a clear signal of India's determination to stand by Russia amid deepening Sino-Russian embrace. New Delhi remains a major buyer of Russian arms, even as it diversifies its defense needs and has become increasingly dependent on discounted Russian oil since the conflict in Ukraine began.
Orbán's "Peace Mission".
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, whose country holds the European Union presidency, defied criticism from other EU leaders over his self-proclaimed peace initiative. Orban, considered the most Russia-friendly figure in the 27-nation bloc, earlier visited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi in Kyiv and traveled to China after talks with Putin to meet Xi.
Erdogan's invitation
Putin met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the first time since last September on the sidelines of the SCO summit. They discussed Russian tourism to Turkey, which is rapidly developing, and the Akkuyu nuclear power plant, which Rosatom is building in the country. Erdogan said NATO member Turkey wants "further development of warm relations" with Russia, and invited Putin to visit him "very soon."
Alliance with North Korea
In June, Putin made his first trip to North Korea in 24 years, where he signed a mutual defense pact with leader Kim Jong Un, who pledged "unconditional" support for Russia. The military partnership has heightened fears that Russia could provide advanced weapons technology to the isolated communist state. From Pyongyang, Putin went to Vietnam, which ignored US complaints about the reception of the Russian leader.
New high-level meetings are already on the horizon when Russia hosts the summit of the expanded BRICS group in Kazan in October. This will probably give Putin the opportunity to meet with the leaders of Brazil, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates, the American publication notes.
