Part 6/11:
On the diplomatic front, the day saw significant developments as Russia and China reinforced their strategic partnership. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Sunday, underlining their shared commitment to deeper cooperation against what they describe as a Western-dominated global order.
This encounter, held ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, was far more than ceremonial. It underscored the strengthening of Moscow-Beijing ties since declaring their “no limits” partnership in February 2022, just days before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Both nations see themselves as counterweights to Western influence and are actively challenging Western-led institutions.