Putin’s Friendship Tax Is Coming Due

Key Points:

• At the SCO summit in Bishkek, Putin reinforced Russia's strategic partnerships with China, Iran, India, North Korea, and Turkey, crucial for Moscow amid Western isolation and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
• China remains Russia's dominant economic partner, supplying over 40% of Russian imports and accounting for over 30% of its export revenues, giving Beijing significant leverage over Moscow's economic and energy projects.
• India, while a major buyer of Russian oil, maintains an independent foreign policy and calls for peace in Ukraine, illustrating that Russia's partners do not always align fully with its political goals.
• Iran provides military support to Russia, especially through drone technology, but their strategic partnership lacks a binding military defense clause, limiting Moscow's obligations amid U.S.-Iran tensions.
• North Korea supplies critical military aid and personnel to Russia, increasing Pyongyang's leverage, while Turkey, a NATO member, benefits from its interdependent relationship with Russia, gaining influence as Moscow's alternatives narrow.