Russia ready to step in as Pakistan-Afghanistan mediator

Russia is prepared to act as a mediator between Pakistan and Afghanistan if both sides request such assistance, Zamir Kabulov, the Russian president’s special envoy for Afghanistan and adviser to the Foreign Ministry, said.

Moscow has also strongly urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to immediately halt cross-border attacks and resolve their disputes through diplomatic negotiations, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

Pakistan’s defence minister formally declared that Islamabad and Kabul are now in an “open war” after Pakistan carried out strikes in Kabul and other Afghan provinces following cross‑border hostilities, blaming the Taliban government for backing militant attacks.

The latest clashes erupted after Afghan forces fired on Pakistani positions along the Durand Line, and Pakistan responded with extensive air and ground strikes, killing militants and destroying enemy positions, according to Pakistani officials, while Afghanistan reported heavy fighting and its own retaliatory operations.

Islamabad’s actions follow repeated allegations that Tehreek‑i‑Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and IS‑K militants use Afghan territory as safe havens to launch attacks inside Pakistan, a longstanding grievance that has repeatedly fuelled cross‑border tension.

Regional powers, including Iran, Russia, China, and the United Nations, have urged both sides to stop attacks immediately and seek diplomatic solutions to avert wider conflict, with offers to mediate if requested.

By Jeyhun Aghazada