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Three major summits have been held in Asia in the past week. Russian President Vladimir Putin – previously an obvious participant – has not attended any of them.
Self-selected or not – on the global stage, Putin’s isolation is increasing.
Putin, whose attack on Ukraine has now lasted nine months and rocked the world economy to its foundations, has refrained from going to the summits. Instead, he has received sharp criticism from them, while the international tone is hardening.
A summit of the leaders of the Pacific Association Apec in Bangkok, Thailand, ended on Saturday with a declaration that references the positions of the United Nations and strongly condemns Russian aggression against Ukraine, although there are different opinions among the participating countries, CNN reports.
The declaration repeats the positions from the G20 meeting in Bali earlier this week.
Isolated in Moscow
Talks on the sidelines of the summits also show that Putin is becoming increasingly isolated in Moscow, unwilling to face his counterparts at major global gatherings.
It may be about fear of coup attempts, an excessive concern for personal safety and a reluctance to face criticism at the meetings, according to Alexander Gabuev, analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank.
Putin may also feel a reluctance to draw unwanted attention to the few nations that remain friendly to him, such as India and China.
– He doesn’t want to be the black sheep, says Gabuev to CNN.
Even among nations that have not clearly distanced themselves from Putin’s war in Ukraine, there are signs that patience is wearing thin. Indonesia, the host country for the G20 meeting, has not condemned the war but President Joko Widodo told world leaders that it “must come to an end”. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has demanded the same in September.
Xi and Biden in focus
Beijing’s position is more unclear. Chinese President Xi Jinping has close ties to Putin – but during the G20 meeting in Bali, Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden stole the limelight, in the absence of Putin’s presence.
During recent summits, China’s leaders have repeatedly called for a ceasefire in Ukraine. But while this could be interpreted as indirect criticism of Putin, it is unclear whether Xi actually wants to distance himself from Russia.
– Xi is saying these things to an audience that wants to hear them, says Brian Hart at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.