Russian President Vladimir Putin held in-depth negotiations with his Mongolian counterpart, President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh in the former Kazakh capital of Alamaty during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit on July 3. Mongolia has emerged as an increasingly important counterparty for Russia as it attempts to switch its business and trade from west to east following the imposition of extreme sanctions by the West as a result of the invasion of Ukraine over two years ago. The landlocked and remote country of Mongolia remains wary of Russia but has been taking advantage of the grow…