During his visit to India, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu claimed that the United States plans to integrate Quad and AUKUS into NATO, stating that the US is attempting to contain China by escalating tensions in Taiwan. Shoigu spoke at the SCO Defense Ministers’ Meeting and accused the US of paving the way for the disintegration of the existing regional security system with the ASEAN member-states key role. He also claimed that the US is willing to establish dominance in the Asia-Pacific region by integrating Quad and AUKUS into NATO.
Shoigu met with Defense Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss strengthening bilateral military-to-military ties. During his visit, Shoigu also slammed the concept of a “free and open Indo-Pacific region,” arguing that the US wants to determine the norms and rules of behavior in the region.
Shoigu further stated that the SCO’s independent policies concerning regional and global security challenges could set an example for the international community. He called for Afghanistan to remain one of the priority areas in the SCO and emphasized that only comprehensive international and regional assistance can facilitate measures to overcome the challenges Afghanistan faces.
Shoigu blamed NATO countries for the situation in Afghanistan, stating that they bear the greatest responsibility for the twenty-year presence on Afghan soil and the subsequent rapid withdrawal. He argued that NATO should bear the main financial expenses of post-conflict reconstruction.
Next month, India will be hosting the Foreign Ministers Meeting of the SCO, of which it is currently the chair, followed by a conference of the Heads of Member States in July.
On the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Shoigu said that as long as NATO continues to supply arms to Ukraine, it will only prolong the conflict. He argued that the transferred weapons end up on the black market and go further into the hands of terrorist organizations, posing additional risks. Shoigu defended Russia’s actions, stating that it has been left with no option but to eliminate the threats emanating from Ukraine militarily.