Shehbaz Sharif Causes Major Diplomatic Embarrassment for Pakistan by Crashing Putin-Erdogan Meeting

Islamabad: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reportedly faced severe diplomatic embarrassment after entering a high-level meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan without an invitation, leaving officials visibly surprised and unsettled.

40-Minute Wait Leads to Uninvited Entry
Sources report that Sharif waited approximately 40 minutes for a scheduled meeting with Putin. When the Russian President did not arrive, Sharif allegedly decided to enter the room where Putin and Erdoğan were holding important discussions. A video, briefly circulated by RT India and later deleted, showed Sharif waiting impatiently before walking into the meeting, startling both Russian and Turkish officials.

Violation of Diplomatic Protocol
Analysts noted that Putin’s body language indicated clear discomfort, as Sharif interrupted a closed-door bilateral discussion. Experts interpret Sharif’s uninvited presence as a reflection of Pakistan’s increasing diplomatic vulnerability. While Sharif appears eager to assert his presence internationally, the real authority in Islamabad is widely perceived to remain with Army Chief Asim Munir.

Implications for Pakistan’s Geopolitical Standing
The incident occurred during an event in Turkmenistan, and sources cited by CNN-News18 reported that protocol officers were taken aback by Sharif’s sudden appearance in this sensitive meeting. The fact that Sharif’s name was not on the official attendee list underscores Pakistan’s diminishing geopolitical influence and its struggle to maintain credibility with major global powers.

This episode highlights the challenges facing Pakistan’s political leadership as it attempts to navigate complex international diplomacy.