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Russia plays key role in blocking Azerbaijan’s SCO membership, defying China’s support -EXCLUSIVE

05 September 2025 13:57 (UTC +04:00)

New details have emerged regarding Azerbaijan’s blocked membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) at the summit held in China.

Diplomatic sources told APA that the blocking of Azerbaijan’s SCO membership was not initiated solely by India; Russia also played an active role in the process, with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs taking the lead.

According to the source, Azerbaijan’s blocked SCO membership was discussed during political consultations between Russia and India, and an agreement was reached. Russia reportedly allowed India to take the lead in the process while it remained in the background.

The source also noted that Russia’s actions should be seen as a sign of disrespect toward China.

China has strongly supported Azerbaijan’s membership in the SCO, consistent with the organization’s spirit of expansion. However, at the summit held in China, Russia and India blocked Azerbaijan’s accession, which also represented a show of disrespect toward China.

Russia Azerbaijan SCO Shanghai Cooperation Organization China international relations diplomacy SCO summit Azerbaijan membership geopolitical tensions Russia-China relations