Shehbaz Sharif Chases Putin for Brief Exchange Post-SCO Photo, Video Goes Viral

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif made a quick move towards Russian President Vladimir Putin following the formal group photograph at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, briefly stopping the Russian leader as he departed the stage.

Visuals from the venue showed Sharif approaching Putin just as the Russian President began walking away from the podium post-photo. Sharif reached out, held Putin's hand to get his attention, and spoke to him briefly on the sidelines before the leaders dispersed.

The brief exchange occurred moments after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping shook hands and shared words prior to joining the group photo.

High-Stakes Multilateral Platform

The 26th SCO Summit gathered heads of state from 10 member nations—including India, China, Russia, and Pakistan—amid shifting regional geopolitics. The proceedings focused on security, counter-terrorism, trade connectivity, and regional stability across Eurasia.

On the sidelines, PM Modi held detailed bilateral talks with President Putin a day prior, covering trade, investment, energy security, and fertiliser supplies. Modi reiterated his stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, stating that every day of war "pushes humanity backwards" and calling for a shift from endless conflict towards peace. The two leaders also rode together in Putin's official limousine to attend the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games in Bishkek.

In addition to his interactions with Putin and Xi, PM Modi greeted Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and shared a warm embrace with UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

The SCO gathering highlighted ongoing diplomatic manoeuvring among regional powers, with bilateral interactions around the main plenary sessions drawing as much attention as the official agenda