SCO
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a regional intergovernmental body founded in 2001 in Shanghai by the leaders of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Originally focused on border security and arms control among the founding members, it has since expanded its agenda to include economic cooperation, energy, transport and cultural exchange. Its secretariat is based in Beijing, while the executive committee of its Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure sits in Tashkent. India, Pakistan, Iran and Belarus have since joined as full members, with further states holding partner or observer status. SCO summits bring the heads of member states together to discuss regional security, economic integration and global governance reform.
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Putin says Russia and Ukraine must negotiate peace bilaterally, calls Zelenskyy's airspace warning 'state terrorism'
Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on September 3, Vladimir Putin said Russia and Ukraine must negotiate an end to the war directly between themselves, with other countries only supporting, and claimed there is a chance for a peaceful settlement. He described Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's warnings that Russian airspace is unsafe for civil aviation as state terrorism that complicates peace talks, and accused Ukraine's Western partners of silence. His comments come a day after Ukraine formally notified the ICAO that Russian airspace is dangerous for civil aviation.