Russia officially recognises Afghanistan’s Taliban govt

Russia has accepted the credentials of Afghanistan’s new ambassador as part of its ongoing efforts to build amicable relations with the Taliban authorities, who took control of the country following the withdrawal of US troops four years ago.

“We believe that the official recognition of the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will provide momentum for the development of productive bilateral cooperation between our countries in various sectors,” the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Thursday.

This makes Russia the first country in the world to formally recognise the Taliban government in Afghanistan, according to Al Jazeera reports.

“This bold decision will set an example for others,” said Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in a video posted on X of his meeting with Dmitry Zhirnov, the Russian ambassador to Kabul, on Thursday.

“Now that the recognition process has begun, Russia has been ahead of everyone.”

The move is likely to attract the attention of Washington, which has frozen billions in Afghanistan’s central bank assets and imposed sanctions on senior Taliban leaders. These actions have led to Afghanistan’s banking sector being largely cut off from the international financial system.

The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021 when US forces withdrew, leaving behind the country’s internationally recognised government. Moscow, which labelled the US withdrawal a “failure”, has since sought to normalise relations with the Taliban, viewing them as a potential economic partner and ally in combating terrorism.

A Taliban delegation participated in Russia’s key economic forum in Saint Petersburg in 2022 and 2024, while the group’s top diplomat met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow last October.

In July 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin referred to the Taliban as “allies in the fight against terrorism,” particularly in the battle against Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), responsible for deadly attacks in both Afghanistan and Russia.

In April, Russia’s Supreme Court lifted the “terrorist” designation of the group.

Lavrov remarked that the new authorities in Kabul are a “reality” and urged Moscow to adopt a “pragmatic, non-ideological policy” toward the Taliban.