In a historic diplomatic development, Russia has officially recognized the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan, marking the first time a major global power has established formal ties with the Islamist regime since its return to power in 2021.
The recognition comes after Russia’s Supreme Court removed the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations in April, reversing a designation that had stood since 2003. On Thursday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko accepted the credentials of Taliban-appointed ambassador Ghulam Hassan in Moscow, confirming the move.
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Russia’s presidential envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, emphasized that this step was taken in line with President Vladimir Putin’s decision and the recommendation of Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The Taliban flag was also raised over the Afghan embassy in Moscow for the first time since the group seized control of Kabul.
Although the broader international community remains hesitant to engage with the Taliban, several regional countries have taken steps toward re-engagement. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan have either delisted the group as a terrorist entity or resumed cooperation on key infrastructure projects.
Afghanistan’s ambassador to Qatar, Suhail Shaheen, praised the Russian move and expressed hope that other countries would follow suit to support stability and collaboration with the Islamic Emirate.
