Russia’s Foreign Ministry has indicated that a decision to remove the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations has been "taken at the highest level," as reported by the state news agency TASS. Zamir Kabulov, President Vladimir Putin's special representative on Afghanistan, confirmed that while the decision has been made, it must undergo several legal procedures to be fully implemented. This shift follows Putin's remarks in July, where he referred to the Taliban as an ally in the fight against terrorism.
Since the Taliban seized power in August 2021, following the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces after two decades of conflict, Russia has been gradually building ties with the group, despite its status as an officially banned entity within Russia.
The Taliban was designated a terrorist organization by Russia in 2003. Its removal from this list would be a crucial step for Moscow in normalizing relations with Afghanistan.
In addition, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized the necessity of maintaining a "pragmatic dialogue" with the current Afghan government, stating that addressing issues and discussing an Afghan settlement is impossible without engaging with Kabul, and affirmed Russia's commitment to developing political, trade, and economic ties with Afghanistan.
Although he refrained from naming the Taliban, Lavrov acknowledged the current Afghan leadership's efforts in curbing drug production and combating the Islamic State, which is also banned in Russia. He also urged the United States to return confiscated assets to Afghanistan and called on Western nations to take responsibility for the country’s post-conflict reconstruction.
Russia’s relationship with Afghanistan has been complex, rooted in its history of military intervention during the Soviet era. The Soviet army invaded Afghanistan in 1979 to support a pro-Moscow government but withdrew a decade later after suffering significant casualties. In recent years, Russia and its post-Soviet neighbors have faced attacks from Islamist militant groups linked to Afghanistan, the most notable being the March attack that claimed 145 lives near Moscow.
While no country has formally recognized the Taliban as Afghanistan's legitimate leadership, Uzbekistan along with China and the UAE have accepted its ambassadors.
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