NATO and SCO: conceptual foundations and their implementation in the work of organizations

Abstract

On 24 February 2022, Russian president Vladimir Putin, during his address to the citizens of Russia, announced a special military operation in Ukraine. Since then, the international environment on the Eurasian continent, and the world order that has existed for 30 years after the Cold War, has changed. The armed conflict in Ukraine, which occurred as a result of North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) policy, has revealed once again the differences between the approaches of Russia, China, and western countries to world order and multilateral cooperation. This article analyzes the principles of activity, goals, and decision-making mechanisms of two key international security organizations—the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and NATO. Thus, this article defines the characteristic features of NATO and SCO approaches to ensuring regional security. In addition, in view of the suspension of Russia's membership in many international organizations and the adoption of a new NATO Strategic Concept, it seems especially relevant to intensify cooperation within the organizations in which the Russian Federation retains enduring influence. In this regard, the issues and the prospects for developing and strengthening the SCO’s role on the world stage in the context of the current geopolitical situation were also considered.