Russia plans to remove the Taliban from its list of banned terrorist organizations, three years after they seized power in Afghanistan, according to the state-run RIA Novosti news agency.
Despite international sanctions, Moscow has maintained relations with the Taliban, holding several rounds of talks and increasing trade with Afghanistan. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated, “Kazakhstan has recently taken the decision, which we are also going to take, to remove them from the list of terrorist organizations,” referring to Kazakhstan’s removal of the Taliban from its banned list at the end of 2023.
This move could enhance diplomatic relations between Russia and Afghanistan but stops short of officially recognizing the Taliban government, which calls itself the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.” The Taliban took control in 2021 from a US-backed government, imposing strict Islamic laws that have significantly restricted women’s rights.
Lavrov explained that Russia’s decision reflects the current realities in Afghanistan. “They are the real power. We are not indifferent to Afghanistan. And above all, our allies in Central Asia are not indifferent,” he said.
Additionally, Russia has invited Taliban representatives to its prominent Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, which was once a key event for Russia’s economic relations with the West.
Russia’s relationship with the Taliban has evolved over the years. In 2018, the head of US forces in Afghanistan accused Moscow of providing weapons to the Taliban, which Russia denied. The Taliban has been labeled a terrorist organization in Russia since 2003. This move to delist them reflects a shift in Russia’s approach, considering its complicated history with Afghanistan, including the Soviet Union’s decade-long war in the 1980s against mujahideen fighters to support a Kremlin-backed government.
