RUSSIA BECOMES FIRST COUNTRY TO OFFICIALLY RECOGNISE TALIBAN GOVERNMENT IN AFGHANISTAN
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Agency Report
Russia has become the first nation to officially recognise the Taliban-led government of Afghanistan, a move that Afghan authorities have hailed as a “brave decision” and a major diplomatic breakthrough.
The announcement was made on Thursday following a meeting in Kabul between Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, and Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan, Dmitry Zhirnov.
“This brave decision will be an example for others… Now that the process of recognition has started, Russia was ahead of everyone,” Muttaqi said in a video shared on X (formerly Twitter).
Confirming the move, Taliban foreign ministry spokesman Zia Ahmad Takal told AFP: “Russia is the first country which has officially recognised the Islamic Emirate,” referring to the Taliban’s name for its government.
The Russian Foreign Ministry, in a statement posted on Telegram, said that official recognition would open the door for “productive bilateral cooperation” in sectors such as energy, transportation, agriculture, and infrastructure. Moscow also expressed its desire to work with Kabul to bolster regional security and combat terrorism and drug trafficking.
The recognition marks a significant shift in Afghanistan’s international status, as the Taliban have struggled to gain formal recognition since their return to power in August 2021 following the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces. Previously, only three countries—Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—had recognised the Taliban during their 1996–2001 rule.
Russia had already been deepening its ties with the Taliban, including removing the group from its list of terrorist organisations earlier this year and hosting a Taliban ambassador in Kabul. Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously described the Taliban as “allies in the fight against terrorism.”
China quickly welcomed Russia’s move, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning stating: “As a traditional friendly neighbour of Afghanistan, the Chinese side has always believed that Afghanistan should not be excluded from the international community.”
However, the decision has drawn sharp criticism from Afghan women’s rights activists and former lawmakers, who say the Taliban’s recognition legitimises a regime that systematically curtails women’s freedoms.
Mariam Solaimankhil, a former Afghan parliamentarian, said the move “legitimizes a regime that bans girls from education, enforces public floggings, and shelters UN-sanctioned terrorists.”
Another ex-lawmaker, Fawzia Koofi, warned: “Any recognition of the Taliban will not bring peace—it will legitimise impunity and risk endangering not just the people of Afghanistan, but global security.”
Despite the Taliban’s ongoing repression of women and girls and the presence of senior figures under UN sanctions, Russia’s recognition may pave the way for other nations to follow suit, prioritising strategic interests over human rights concerns.
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