SCO anniversary summit signals expanded anti-Western bloc, challenges US influence

The SCO's 25th anniversary summit in Bishkek marks its evolution from a border-management mechanism into a broader anti-Western bloc, with Russia's unresolved Ukraine invasion and US-Iran conflict in the Gulf providing strategic tailwinds. The grouping's growing cohesion and potential expansion challenge US-led alliances without formal treaty commitments. The extent of new membership or concrete initiatives remains unclear, but the summit's symbolism signals a more consequential counterweight to US power.