The Foreign Ministry of the Taliban movement (officially banned in Russia as a terrorist organization), which controls Afghanistan, welcomes Russia's declared intention to establish bilateral relations, Interfax reported on May 29.
"IEA-MFA (the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) welcomes comments by the leadership of the Russian Federation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and other officials expressing their political determination to broaden relations with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan," Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a spokesperson for the Taliban Foreign Ministry, said in a statement published on the movement's social accounts on Wednesday.
“Following decades of conflict and instability in the country, the past three years have demonstrated that Afghanistan currently has a responsible government that has created an opportune environment for all regional countries to work towards further developing positive relations while taking into consideration bilateral priorities," he said.
“Significant progress has already been made […] with numerous countries,” the IEA-MFA spokesman said.
The Taliban took control of the entire territory of Afghanistan virtually without a fight in August 2021, after the United States, its allies, and a local government it supported left the country in a hurry after staying there for 20 years.
While not a single country has still recognized the Taliban as Afghanistan's legitimate government, numerous counties, including Russia, China, and Iran, maintain some relations with it.
Interfax news agency on May 28 cited Russian President Vladimir Putin as noting that it is necessary to build relations with the Taliban movement because it controls Afghanistan being its current authority.
“Afghanistan has problems; they are undeniable and well-known to all. The issue how to establish ties with the current power is another question. Yet they must be established somehow, these are the people who control the country and its territory, they are the current authority in Afghanistan,” the Russian leader told reporters in Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent, on May 28. "We need to proceed from reality and build relations accordingly," Putin explained. However, the President of Russia added, “How to establish relations with the Taliban is another question, but we must somehow [maintain] relations with them.” He referred to consultations with regional partners, including those in Central Asia, regarding relations with the Taliban, and said, “We take into account the opinions of each of our partners and friends and will coordinate on this issue.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on May 27 that the real situation in Afghanistan governed by the Taliban should be taken into consideration, as that country is of interest to Russia.
