Russia becomes the first country in the world to officially recognize the government installed by the Taliban in Afghanistan after the chaotic withdrawal of the American army
Russia, Moscow – July 3, 2025: The National Flag of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, adopted by the Taliban in 2021, appears for the first time at the Afghanistan Embassy. Photo: Embassy of Afghanistan / Tass / Zuma Press / Profimedia
Russia announced on Thursday that it has accepted the accreditation of the new Afghanistan ambassador, thus becoming the first country in the world to officially recognize the Taliban government in Kabul, Reuters reports.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia has said that Moscow sees good prospects for the development of relationships and will continue to support Kabul in the field of security, combating terrorism and struggling against drug crime.
Also, Russia sees significant commercial and economic opportunities, especially in the fields of energy, transport, agriculture and infrastructure.
“We believe that the official recognition of the Government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will give an impulse to the development of productive bilateral cooperation between our countries in various fields,” said the Ministry led by Sergei Lavrov.
Afghan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amir Khan Muttaqi, said, in a statement: “We appreciate this brave step made by Russia and, with the will of God, it will serve as an example for others.”
No other country officially recognized the Taliban government that took power in August 2021, after the US led forces have chaotic with Afghanistan after 20 years of war. However, China, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Pakistan named ambassadors in Kabul, on a step towards recognition.
Russia's decision is an important stage for the Taliban administration, which tries to reduce its international isolation.
This movement is likely to be carefully watched by Washington, which has frozen billions of dollars from the Afghan central bank assets and has imposed sanctions to high -ranking Taliban leaders, contributing to the isolation of the Afghan banking sector compared to the international financial system.
A complex history
Russia has gradually built relations with the Taliban, which President Vladimir Putin declared last year in the fight against terrorism. Since 2022, Afghanistan imports gas, oil and wheat from Russia.
The Taliban was appointed by Russia as a terrorist movement in 2003, but the prohibition was lifted in April this year. Moscow believes that it is necessary to collaborate with Kabul, in the context in which Russia had confronted a major threat to the Security from Islamist militant groups that have bases in a number of countries-from Afghanistan to the Middle East.
In March 2024, armed people killed 149 people in a concert hall outside Moscow, in an attack claimed by the Islamic State. US officials have said that they have information indicating that the group branch, the Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) is responsible.
Taliban states that they make efforts to eliminate the presence of the Islamic State in Afghanistan.
Western diplomats say that Taliban's path to wider international recognition is blocked until they change the course of women's rights. The Taliban closed high schools and universities for girls and women and imposed restrictions on their circulation without a masculine tutor. They claim that they respect the rights of women in accordance with the strict interpretation of the Islamic Law.
Russia has a complex and bloody history in Afghanistan. Soviet troops invaded the country in December 1979 to support a communist government, but remained stamped in a long war against the Mujahedini fighters armed by the United States. Soviet leader Mihail Gorbachev withdrew his army in 1989, when about 15,000 Soviet soldiers had already been killed.
