Russia has become the first country to officially recognize the Taliban regime, which the Afghan Foreign Minister called a courageous decision, BBC reports.
Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met with Russian Ambassador Dmitry Zhirnov in Kabul on the 3rd of July, and the Russian diplomat officially announced the decision to recognize the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Muttaqi noted that this is the next phase of positive relations, mutual respect and constructive cooperation, and should serve as an example for other countries. The Taliban have been trying to achieve international recognition since returning to power in 2021, despite growing reports of human rights violations in Afghanistan.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said in the statement that
Russia sees potential for commercial and economic cooperation in energy, transport, agriculture and infrastructure,
and Kabul will be offered assistance in the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking.
Russia was one of the few countries that did not close its embassy in Kabul in 2021, and in 2022 was the first to sign an economic cooperation agreement with Afghanistan, agreeing to supply oil, natural gas and grain. In April 2025, Moscow removed the Taliban from the list of terrorist organizations in order to build full cooperation with the Afghan government.
The two countries have a complex relationship. The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, and over nine years 15,000 Soviet soldiers died there, a large part of them conscripts. The decision to install a Soviet-backed government in Kabul left the union largely isolated on the international stage, and it withdrew from Kabul in February 1989.
Western governments and human rights groups have condemned the Taliban government, particularly for its application of sharia law, which restricts women’s rights. Since 2021, women have been barred from secondary and higher education, are not allowed to leave the house without a male companion, and are subject to strict dress codes. The rules have become increasingly strict, with the latest restriction being a ban on speaking outside the home.
Although China, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan have sent ambassadors to Kabul, Russia is the only one to officially recognize the Taliban government.
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