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Vladimir Putin traveled to Kyrgyzstan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, holding bilateral talks with Xi Jinping and other leaders. Putin proposed making visa-free travel between Russia and China permanent and sought to advance the stalled Power of Siberia-2 gas pipeline project, while also discussing the war in Ukraine with regional partners. Following the summit, Putin held a pre-dawn press conference in Bishkek addressing a range of war-related topics. He suggested Russia refrains from targeting Ukraine's leadership because Moscow wants to preserve 'some kind of negotiators' in Kyiv in case they decide to settle the conflict. He also fielded questions on Germany's decision to close Russia's consulate general, on Zelensky's recent warning about the safety of Russian airspace amid Ukraine's drone campaign, and on the likelihood of a new mobilization wave in Russia after upcoming elections.