Moscow: Russia has pledged to provide continued food aid to Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government through the United Nations, despite the international isolation of the Taliban due to their controversial policies.
This commitment was made during a meeting between senior officials from Moscow and Kabul in Kazan, southwest Russia, which focused on regional security threats and efforts to establish an inclusive government in Afghanistan, reported Russian state news agency Tass.
Zamir Kabulov, President Vladimir Putin’s special representative for Afghanistan, attended the gathering and expressed Russia’s willingness to support Afghanistan both independently and through the World Food Programme. He also read a letter from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in which Lavrov accused Western countries of a “complete failure” in Afghanistan and suggested that they should bear the primary responsibility for rebuilding the country.
Russia’s growing ties with the Taliban mark a significant shift in its relationship with Afghanistan. Previously, Russia had invaded Afghanistan in 1979, leading to a protracted conflict with Afghan insurgents, including the Taliban, who resisted Moscow’s Soviet army. After the US-led invasion in 2001, relations between the Western-backed Kabul government and Moscow were limited, but they began to improve in 2011 when former Afghan President Hamid Karzai encouraged Russia to assist in rebuilding Soviet-era projects in the country.
Moscow Format on Afghanistan
The Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021 as US and NATO troops withdrew from the country after two decades of war. Since 2017, Moscow has hosted talks involving the Taliban, as well as representatives from other Afghan factions, China, Pakistan, Iran, India, and Central Asian nations. These talks have been aimed at facilitating a peaceful resolution to the Afghan conflict.
However, the recent meeting in Kazan did not include Taliban representatives, and no other Afghan factions participated. Zamir Kabulov has previously indicated that international recognition of the Taliban government would depend on the inclusivity of its leadership and its human rights record.
