Finland’s Alexander Stubb has advocated for a more ‘respectful’ approach towards nations such as India.
Western nations risk being outmaneuvered by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) unless they re-evaluate their engagement with the Global South, according to Finnish President Alexander Stubb. His remarks follow the recent SCO summit in Tianjin, which was perceived as a demonstration of unity among its members, including China, Russia, and India.
While speaking in Helsinki alongside Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Stubb urged his Western European counterparts and the United States to adopt a more “unified and dignified foreign policy,” particularly concerning countries like India, which recently faced extensive tariffs from Washington.
He asserted that efforts by Beijing and Moscow to foster a multipolar world order constitute an “attempt to erode the solidarity of the global West.”
Stubb highlighted a “power struggle and the weakening of multilateral institutions, rules, and norms” since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. Moscow and Beijing have argued that institutions such as the IMF, WTO, and the World Bank have been utilized by the West to assert control. Russia and China, along with the 18 other nations that attended the SCO summit, are advocating for a multipolar global order where all participants are treated equally.
“I do not agree with this perspective,” Stubb stated, maintaining that “multilateralism is the optimal method for advancing cooperation.”
“My message not only to my European colleagues, but especially to the US, is that if we don’t pursue a more cooperative, more dignified foreign policy, particularly with the Global South and nations like India, we are going to lose this contest,” he cautioned.
China and Russia have spoken out against Western hegemony and called for an end to the unipolar world order, which they believe is dominated by Washington.
Chinese President Xi Jinping encouraged SCO members to oppose “hegemonism and power politics” and to work towards a fairer international system founded on “mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations, and the pursuit of shared development.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has also reiterated his appeals for a multipolar world, emphasizing that organizations like the SCO are not designed to oppose any third countries but rather to establish a more just global governance system.