Russia hosts Afghan Taliban as Moscow seeks regional influence

Russia hosted Taliban leaders for talks on regional security as it seeks to forge ties with Afghanistan's new rulers in the region.

Since US forces pulled out of Kabul in August 2021, Russia and China have taken advantage of the vacuum, holding talks with the Taliban despite deep ideological and historical rifts.

"For our part, we will continue to develop multifaceted contacts with Afghanistan," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in a written greeting to participants of the talks, held in the city of Kazan on Friday.

The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan shortly after US troops left in August 2021.

In his comments, Lavrov criticised the US withdrawal as a "complete fiasco" and said he hoped the West would never return to Afghanistan or its neighbours.

Counter-terrorism efforts

"We consider the return of US and NATO military infrastructure to the territory of Afghanistan and its neighbouring states to be unacceptable," Lavrov said.

He also said that he hoped Kabul will "do everything to intensify its counter-terrorism and anti-drug efforts," amid security concerns from Moscow.

The Taliban is officially recognised as a "terrorist organisation" in Russia, which fought against rebel fighters for much of the 1980s during the Soviet–Afghan War.

Lavrov's comments come days after Uzbekistan, which neighbours Afghanistan, hosted US officials for talks on strengthening military ties.

Uzbekistan allowed US forces to use its Soviet-era "K-2" air base during the early 2000s to launch military operations into Afghanistan, and in 2020 held joint exercises with US troops.