Erdogan seeks deeper SCO ties at Bishkek summit
Turkish president highlights organisation's potential for regional peace and security
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

Erdogan said the organisation could play a role not only in ensuring peace and stability, but also in establishing secure transport corridors. / Anadolu Agency
Photograph: TRT World (embedded from source)
What this story says
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Heads of State Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
- Erdogan stated that Turkey seeks to deepen cooperation with the SCO, which he called a 'rising star'.
- He said the organisation can contribute to regional peace, secure transport corridors, and energy security.
- Erdogan met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on the sidelines of the summit.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 27 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 60 of the 87 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
42/100
Craft
59/100
Hype
41/100
87 sources · methodology
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Heads of State Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. During the summit, Erdogan stated that Turkey aims to deepen its cooperation with the organisation, describing it as a 'rising star'. He indicated that the SCO has the potential to contribute to peace, secure transport corridors, and energy security.
On the sidelines of the summit, Erdogan held bilateral meetings with other leaders. He met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Some reports also indicate that Erdogan met with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
Coverage comparison
What the coverage left out
None of the centre or right-rated reports mentioned that President Erdogan also met with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
Coverage settled. We checked this 8 times and stopped on 6 Sept 2026, 22:30. The figures above are what it finished at.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
8 rated outlets
- The left-rated digests agree that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek and stated Turkey was not abandoning the West while pursuing closer ties with the SCO. All seven led on Erdogan’s remarks about maintaining relations with both blocs.
- Five digests carried Erdogan’s comment that Turkey would consider full SCO membership. Three included the Kremlin’s statement that his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin would cover Black Sea and Ukraine issues. None mentioned China’s role in the summit beyond the SCO framework.
- The digests quoted Erdogan’s remarks to journalists on his return flight and the Kremlin’s statement on the Putin-Erdogan meeting. No other voices were cited. The Toronto Star, The Record, and St Catharines Standard used identical wording in their digests.
Centre
8 rated outlets
- The centre-rated report led on President Erdogan's statement about deepening cooperation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. It highlighted his description of the SCO as a 'rising star' and his views on its potential contributions to peace, secure transport corridors, and energy security. The report also noted Erdogan's attendance at the summit in Bishkek.
Right
11 rated outlets
- Six right-rated digests led on President Erdogan's statements regarding Turkey's intention to develop relations with the SCO and his description of the organisation as a 'rising star'. These digests also mentioned Erdogan's attendance at the Bishkek summit. Six of the six right-rated digests reported that Erdogan met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on the sidelines of the summit. One digest noted that the meeting between Erdogan and Aliyev focused on cooperation and peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover Erdogan seeks deeper SCO ties at Bishkek summit?
- Of the 27 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 31% are rated left, 27% are rated centre, 42% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 87. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is Erdogan seeks deeper SCO ties at Bishkek summit left or right?
- Neither side dominates it. Of the 27 rated outlets on this story, 31% are rated left, 27% are rated centre, 42% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
- Is the coverage of Erdogan seeks deeper SCO ties at Bishkek summit biased?
- Erdogan seeks deeper SCO ties at Bishkek summit is one event reported by 87 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which outlets covered Erdogan seeks deeper SCO ties at Bishkek summit?
- 87 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- What did President Erdogan say about the SCO?
- President Erdogan described the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a 'rising star' and stated that Turkey seeks to deepen its cooperation with the bloc. He indicated that the SCO can contribute to peace, secure transport corridors, and energy security.
- Where did the SCO summit take place?
- The Shanghai Cooperation Organization Heads of State Summit took place in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.
- Who did President Erdogan meet with at the summit?
- On the sidelines of the summit, President Erdogan met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Some reports also state that he met with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
Read it at the source
87 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
8- Turkey’s relations with Russia, China don’t mean turning its back on the West, Erdogan says (opens The Seattle Times in a new tab)
The Seattle Times — is The Seattle Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Turkey’s relations with Russia, China don’t mean turning its back on the West, Erdogan says (opens St Catharines Standard in a new tab)
St Catharines Standard — is St Catharines Standard biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Turkey’s relations with Russia, China don’t mean turning its back on the West, Erdogan says (opens The Record in a new tab)
The Record — is The Record biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Turkey’s relations with Russia, China don’t mean turning its back on the West, Erdogan says (opens The Toronto Star in a new tab)
The Toronto Star — is The Toronto Star biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Erdogan says Turkey would consider full membership of China- and Russia-led security bloc (opens Al-Monitor in a new tab)
Al-Monitor — is Al-Monitor biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Erdogan and Putin to Meet on September 1, Topics Expected to Be Discussed Revealed (opens Telegrafi in a new tab)
- Erdogan and Putin Will Meet in Bishkek. (opens Cumhuriyet in a new tab)
Cumhuriyet — is Cumhuriyet biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Breaking news... Erdoğan and Putin to Meet in Bishkek - Sözcü Newspaper (opens Sözcü in a new tab)
Centre
8- Turkey’s relations with Russia, China don’t mean turning its back on the West, Erdogan says (opens My Mother Lode in a new tab)
My Mother Lode — is My Mother Lode biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Erdogan says Turkey would consider full membership of China- and Russia ... (opens Reuters in a new tab)
- Erdogan says Turkey would consider full membership of China- and Russia-led security bloc (opens Devdiscourse in a new tab)
Devdiscourse — is Devdiscourse biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Turkish President Prepares for Unexpected Move: Speaks Out About Breaking Away From the West (opens Portfolio in a new tab)
- Erdogan says Turkiye would consider full membership of China- and Russia-led security bloc (opens The Express Tribune in a new tab)
The Express Tribune — is The Express Tribune biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Erdogan says Turkey would consider full membership of China-, Russia-led security bloc (opens Jerusalem Post in a new tab)
Jerusalem Post — is Jerusalem Post biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Erdogan says Turkey would consider full membership of China- and Russia-led security bloc (opens WTVB in a new tab)
- Türkiye to deepen cooperation with Shanghai Cooperation Organisation: President Erdogan (opens TRT World in a new tab)
Right
11- Erdogan says Turkey would consider full membership of China- and Russia-led security bloc (opens End Time Headlines in a new tab)
End Time Headlines — is End Time Headlines biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin - Erdoğan: Set a Challenge (opens EADaily in a new tab)
- Putin Is Meeting with Erdogan "on the Margins" of the SCO Summit in Bishkek (opens Interfax.ru in a new tab)
Interfax.ru — is Interfax.ru biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Erdogan: "SCO Is a Rising Star, Striving to Strengthen Cooperation" (opens 연합뉴스-Yonhap News Agency in a new tab)
연합뉴스-Yonhap News Agency — is 연합뉴스-Yonhap News Agency biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Erdoğan Reported on Turkey ' S Plans to Develop Relations with SCO (opens vz.ru in a new tab)
- Erdogan and Aliyev Discussed Cooperation and Peace Between Azerbaijan and Armenia (opens politika.rs in a new tab)
politika.rs — is politika.rs biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Normalization with Armenia dominates Erdoğan-Aliyev agenda (opens Daily Sabah in a new tab)
Daily Sabah — is Daily Sabah biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Turkish president meets his Azerbaijani counterpart in Bishkek (opens Anadolu Ajansı in a new tab)
Anadolu Ajansı — is Anadolu Ajansı biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 3 more
- President Erdoğan Met with Aliyev. (opens sabah.com.tr in a new tab)
sabah.com.tr — is sabah.com.tr biased? Our profile of this outlet
- The 26th summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) begins its work in Bishkek (opens news-pravda.com in a new tab)
news-pravda.com — is news-pravda.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Turkish President Erdoğan to visit Bishkek for Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit (opens anews.com.tr in a new tab)
anews.com.tr — is anews.com.tr biased? Our profile of this outlet
Not rated
60- As a NATO Member, Turkey Is Winking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (opens maszol.ro in a new tab)
- Turkey, NATO Member, Takes Full Rights to Join the Security Bloc Led by China and Russia: Erdogan's Announcement (opens unimedia.info in a new tab)
unimedia.info — is unimedia.info biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Erdogan Lures Turkey to Shanghai Cooperation Organization. He Claims It Is Not a Departure From NATO or the West. (opens Aktuality.sk in a new tab)
Aktuality.sk — is Aktuality.sk biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Turkey Would Also Join an Organization Dominated by Russia and China (opens Heti Világgazdaság in a new tab)
Heti Világgazdaság — is Heti Világgazdaság biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Turkey to Consider Full Membership in Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Erdogan Says It's Not a Departure From the West (opens Hospodárske Noviny in a new tab)
Hospodárske Noviny — is Hospodárske Noviny biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Erdogan Announced that Turkey Is Considering Joining as a Full Member of the Russia-China Bloc Alongside Its NATO Membership. (opens JDN - חדשות in a new tab)
JDN - חדשות — is JDN - חדשות biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Erdogan: Turkey's Membership in the SCO Does Not Mean Turning Its Back on the West (opens nin.rs in a new tab)
- Turkey Said It Is Assessing to Become a Full Member of the Security Bloc Led by China and Russia (opens AJN Agencia de Noticias in a new tab)
AJN Agencia de Noticias — is AJN Agencia de Noticias biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 52 more
- Erdoğan's Statement on the SCO upon His Return From Bishkek. (opens yolculuk.org in a new tab)
yolculuk.org
- Opening Message From Erdogan: It Should Not Be Too Long (opens VeryansınTV in a new tab)
VeryansınTV — is VeryansınTV biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin: Turkey a Privileged Partner of Russia (opens tvopen.gr in a new tab)
- MEETING BETWEEN PUTIN AND ERDOGAN Turkey Announces New Steps in NUCLEAR COOPERATION WITH RUSSIA (opens dnevnik.rs in a new tab)
dnevnik.rs — is dnevnik.rs biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Erdogan Announces a New Era with Russia: Bilateral Relations Are "at the Highest Level", and Nuclear Cooperation Expands (opens Gândul in a new tab)
- Putin: Türkiye Is Russia's Privileged Partner (opens fararu.com in a new tab)
fararu.com — is fararu.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Erdoğan-Putin Meeting: "Turkish-Russian Relations Are at a Much More Advanced Level than Ever before." (opens ulusal.com.tr in a new tab)
ulusal.com.tr — is ulusal.com.tr biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Erdogan - Putin: Focus on Turkey-Russia Relations, Ukraine and Nuclear Energy (opens rthess.gr in a new tab)
- Erdogan Meets Putin in Kyrgyzstan, What Was Discussed Was Nuclear Energy and the War in Ukraine (opens Indeksonline.net in a new tab)
Indeksonline.net — is Indeksonline.net biased? Our profile of this outlet
- What Putin and Erdogan Said at the Bishkek Meeting (opens vedomosti.ru in a new tab)
vedomosti.ru — is vedomosti.ru biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Details of Putin and Erdogan's Meeting at the Shanghai Summit (opens tabnak.ir in a new tab)
- “I Haven't Seen Each Other for a Long Time”: Putin Met with Erdogan (opens RTVI in a new tab)
- Erdogan - Putin: "Turkey-Russia Relations Better than Ever" - No Mention of S400 (opens flash.gr in a new tab)
- Putin Called Turkey a Privileged Partner of Russia. (opens Life.ru in a new tab)
- Putin Declared a High Level of Economic Ties with Turkey at the SCO Summit (opens 1prime.ru in a new tab)
- Critical Erdogan-Putin Meeting in Kyrgyzstan (opens Capital.gr in a new tab)
Capital.gr — is Capital.gr biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin and Erdogan "Hug" at the Kyrgyzstan Summit - "Russia Stands in Solidarity with the Iranian People" (opens Newsit.gr in a new tab)
- Erdogan: Shanghai Cooperation Organization Is a "Rising Star" – Turkey Deepens Ties with the East (opens thepressroom.gr in a new tab)
thepressroom.gr — is thepressroom.gr biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Turkey Will Continue to Cooperate with SCO, Which Is Regarded as a Rising Star in All Fields (opens belta.by in a new tab)
- President Erdogan: In Every Field with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (opens indyturk.com in a new tab)
indyturk.com — is indyturk.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit: Erdoğan Met with Aliyev. (opens Arti Gerçek in a new tab)
Arti Gerçek — is Arti Gerçek biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Remarkable Message From Erdogan at Shanghai Summit: 'Rising Star' (opens yenicaggazetesi.com in a new tab)
yenicaggazetesi.com — is yenicaggazetesi.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- President Erdoğan Calls on the World: Conflicts Must Be Resolved Through Diplomacy. (opens A Haber in a new tab)
- Erdogan Met with Azerbaijani President Aliyev. (opens Karar Gazetesi in a new tab)
Karar Gazetesi — is Karar Gazetesi biased? Our profile of this outlet
- President Erdoğan Met with Azerbaijani President Aliyev. (opens ekonomim.com in a new tab)
ekonomim.com — is ekonomim.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Erdogan with an Important Invitation to Aliyev - World — News Standard (opens standartnews.com in a new tab)
standartnews.com — is standartnews.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- President Erdoğan Met with Azerbaijani President Aliyev. (opens elipshaber.com in a new tab)
elipshaber.com — is elipshaber.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin – Erdogan Meeting Today in Kyrgyzstan – What Will They Discuss? (opens NewsBomb in a new tab)
- President Erdoğan's First Contact in Bishkek: He Met with Aliyev. (opens gercekgundem.com in a new tab)
gercekgundem.com — is gercekgundem.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- President Erdogan Meets with Aliyev in Bishkek (opens Aydınlık in a new tab)
- President Ilham Aliyev Met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Bishkek (opens BAKU.WS in a new tab)
- President Ilham Aliyev Met with Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Bishkek (opens Apa in a new tab)
- Ilham Aliyev and Erdogan Met in Bishkek (opens Banker.az in a new tab)
- President Erdoğan Met with Azerbaijani President Aliyev. (opens tgrthaber.com in a new tab)
tgrthaber.com — is tgrthaber.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- President Erdoğan Met with Azerbaijani President Aliyev (opens Habertürk in a new tab)
- President Erdoğan Met with Aliyev. (opens turkiyegazetesi.com.tr in a new tab)
turkiyegazetesi.com.tr — is turkiyegazetesi.com.tr biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Critical Meeting in Bishkek: President Erdoğan Met with Aliyev. (opens Haber7 in a new tab)
- Erdoğan and Aliyev Met in Kyrgyzstan. (opens Haberler in a new tab)
- Top News Item: Erdoğan and Aliyev Met in Bishkek. (opens anlatilaninotesi.com.tr in a new tab)
anlatilaninotesi.com.tr — is anlatilaninotesi.com.tr biased? Our profile of this outlet
- President Erdoğan Met with Aliyev and Mirziyoyev. (opens Haber Sitesi ODATV in a new tab)
Haber Sitesi ODATV — is Haber Sitesi ODATV biased? Our profile of this outlet
- President Erdoğan Met with Aliyev and Mirziyoyev. (opens haberglobal.com in a new tab)
haberglobal.com — is haberglobal.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- President Erdoğan Met with Aliyev and Mirziyoyev. (opens Akşam in a new tab)
- Kyrgyzstan, Japarov Hosts the 25th Anniversary of the SCO in Bishkek (opens Agenparl in a new tab)
- President Erdoğan Will Travel to Bishkek for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit - Dünya Newspaper (opens dunya.com in a new tab)
- The Deputy Prime Minister Is Heading to Kyrgyzstan to Participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit. (opens alborsaanews.com in a new tab)
alborsaanews.com — is alborsaanews.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- In Bishkek the New Erdogan-Putin Tete-a-Tete – The Agenda of the Two Leaders (opens Ελεύθερος Τύπος in a new tab)
Ελεύθερος Τύπος
- Erdogan and Putin to Meet on September 1, Topics Expected to Be Discussed Revealed (opens Zëri in a new tab)
- Erdoğan, Putin to meet in Bishkek with Ukraine and Black Sea on agenda - Turkish Minute (opens turkishminute.com in a new tab)
turkishminute.com — is turkishminute.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Turkey: Erdogan to Meet with Putin in Kyrgyzstan on September 1 - What Will the Talks Focus On? (opens europost.gr in a new tab)
europost.gr — is europost.gr biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin - Erdogan Meeting on September 1 in Kyrgyzstan: They Will Discuss Ukraine - PatrisNews - Patris Ilias Newspaper (opens PatrisNews in a new tab)
PatrisNews — is PatrisNews biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin-Erdogan Meeting on September 1 in the Capital of Kyrgyzstan (opens sofokleousin.gr in a new tab)
sofokleousin.gr — is sofokleousin.gr biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Kremlin Announced: Erdogan and Putin Will Meet. (opens Halk TV in a new tab)
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