Taliban seeks Russia's support amid growing Western pressure

The Taliban is seeking Russia's assistance in alleviating pressure from the United States and other Western nations.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban's Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, made this request during a meeting with Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of the Russian Security Council, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

Baradar emphasized that Afghanistan's authorities are working to create conditions that would increase exports and attract foreign investment. He explained that following the Taliban's return to power, the US and Western countries have applied significant pressure on Afghanistan. "We are waiting for the Russian Federation to help us counteract this pressure," Baradar stated.

He also pointed out that Afghanistan remains a reliable economic partner, noting that the Taliban's efforts have led to the destruction of ISIS in the country, forcing the group to relocate to other regions.

During his visit to Afghanistan, Sergei Shoigu discussed Russia's plans to remove the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko recently confirmed that Moscow has no intention of delaying this process, which is expected to positively impact Russian-Afghan relations.

In October, Yuri Ushakov, a presidential aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, indicated that the removal of the Taliban from the terrorist list was nearing completion.

The Taliban declared full control over Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, after seizing all major cities and border crossings. Following their victory, the group established a new government.

Previously, the Taliban had hoped that under US President Donald Trump, Washington would remove them from the terrorist designation.

By Tamilla Hasanova