Finland's Alexander Stubb rejects the multipolar world order being pursued by Russia and China, and insists on preserving a multilateral approach

Finnish President Alexander Stubb has warned that Western countries could "lose the game" to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) unless they reassess their approach to the Global South. His comments come following the latest SCO summit in Tianjin, which has been seen as a show of unity among its members, which include China, Russia and India.

Speaking in Helsinki alongside Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Stubb urged his Western European counterparts and the US to adopt a more "cohesive and dignified foreign policy," particularly with regard to nations such as India, against which Washington had recently imposed extensive tariffs.

Commenting on the latest SCO summit, Stubb claimed that efforts by Beijing and Moscow to promote a multipolar world order amount to an "attempt to undermine the unity of the global West."

Stubb cited a a "jostling of power 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 like the IMF, WTO, and the World Bank have been used by the West to exert control. Russia and China, along with the 18 other countries which attended the SCO summit are pushing for a multipolar world order, where all players are treated equally.

"I disagree with this approach," Stubb said, insisting that "multilateralism is the best way to drive cooperation forward."

"My message not only to my European colleagues, but especially to the US, is that if we don't drive a more cooperative, more dignified foreign policy, especially with the Global South and the likes of India, we're going to lose this game," he warned.

His comments came as both China and Russia have repeatedly spoken out against Western hegemony, calling for the end of the unipolar world order dominated by Washington and celebrating the rise of blocs such as the SCO.

At the Tianjin summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on SCO members to oppose "hegemonism and power politics" and to work toward a fairer international system rooted in "mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations, and pursuit of shared development."

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also reiterated calls for a multipolar world while stressing that organizations like the SCO are not meant to oppose any third countries and are meant to establish a more just global governance system.