Stories
Russia Reaffirms Full Support For Afghan Taliban Regime In Moscow Talks
- •Russia reaffirmed its full support for the Afghan Taliban regime during high-level bilateral talks in Moscow, deepening political and economic ties.
- •Afghanistan acting Foreign Minister Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi met with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk to discuss expanded cooperation in transit, energy, and trade.
- •Moscow has become a vital global partner for Kabul, following its historic decision to formally recognize the Taliban regime as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.
- •The growing Moscow-Kabul axis has caused friction with Pakistan amid a diplomatic impasse over cross-border security issues and the TTP.
- •Russia and the Taliban signed a breakthrough military-technical cooperation agreement in May 2026 to maintain Soviet-era weapons systems and participate in joint exercises.
Key Questions Answered
During high-level bilateral talks in Moscow, Russia and Afghanistan focused on a major expansion of transit, energy, trade, and economic cooperation. Moscow's comprehensive backing also spans critical sectors like political, economic, defense, and security cooperation to facilitate Afghanistan's integration into the international economic network.
In May 2026, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu and Taliban Defense Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob signed a breakthrough military-technical cooperation agreement in Moscow. The pact primarily focuses on repairing and maintaining Afghanistan's inventory of aging Soviet-era and Russian-made weapons systems, including aircraft and heavy armored vehicles.
The expanding axis has created intense friction and a total diplomatic impasse between Islamabad and Kabul due to cross-border strikes and safe havens for anti-Pakistan insurgent groups like the TTP. Consequently, the Taliban has openly used its new Russian military pact as leverage against Pakistan.
