Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a significant one-on-one meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Beijing, where both leaders reaffirmed their resolve to strengthen ties.

During the discussion, President Putin highlighted that Russia values its “excellent relations” with Pakistan and remains eager to deepen cooperation in various fields. Expressing his condolences over the recent floods, the Russian leader said Moscow stands with Islamabad during this natural calamity.

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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in response, underscored Pakistan’s commitment to enhancing cooperation with Russia, particularly in trade, energy, and economic development. He reiterated that Islamabad is keen to expand collaboration with Moscow across multiple sectors, reflecting Pakistan’s broader vision of regional peace and prosperity.

The meeting between the two leaders not only reinforced mutual goodwill but also laid emphasis on charting a way forward for stronger diplomatic and economic ties. Observers note that such high-level engagements can play a key role in advancing Pakistan Russia bilateral relations, especially at a time when global partnerships are shifting.

Earlier today, at the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) heads-of-state summit held in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1, Pakistan and China reaffirmed their enduring “all‑weather strategic cooperative partnership.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Chinese President Xi Jinping on the successful SCO summit and the 80th anniversary of the global anti-fascist victory during their meeting at the Great Hall of the People.

Additionally, he emphasized Pakistan's dedication to moving forward with the next phase of the upgraded China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which will include five new corridors.

This reaffirmation of their special bilateral relationship coincided with the summit's overall momentum.

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China has promoted closer ties with Pakistan, emphasizing strategic partnerships in mining, industry, agriculture, and expanding the high-quality development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Wang Yi, the foreign minister, urged the establishment of a closer China-Pakistan "community with a shared future" and commended Pakistan's backing of China's SCO leadership.

During the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also met with Wang Yi and reiterated support for multilateral cooperation, regional peace and stability, and the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.

While talking about more general multilateral objectives, Dar underlined the importance of CPEC and reaffirmed Pakistan's adherence to the One-China principle.

Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister of Pakistan, emphasized diplomacy over confrontation and respect for sovereignty during the summit, calling for thorough and organized dialogue to settle long-standing disputes in South Asia. He restated the "Shanghai Spirit," which is based on respect for territorial integrity, shared prosperity, and mutual trust.

Citing indisputable proof of outside intervention in attacks on Pakistani territory, Sharif also denounced terrorism in all its manifestations, including state terrorism.

He also reaffirmed the detrimental effects of Afghan instability on the region's development and denounced Israeli aggression in Gaza.