European Parliament Deputy: Cooperation with Taliban Opponents is the Only Way
Pina Picierno, Vice President of the European Parliament, has stated that Europe should not normalize relations with the Taliban administration. The only responsible option is to work side by side with the democratic opponents of the group and representatives of Afghan women. She emphasized that amplifying and supporting the voices of Taliban opponents is a “moral necessity” and should not be ignored in political calculations.
This position comes as the European Commission recently invited Taliban officials to discuss the process of Afghan refugee returns, a move met with criticism from several members of the European Parliament and human rights organizations. If the meeting takes place, it will be the first time since the fall of Kabul in August 2021 that the European Union officially hosts a Taliban delegation.
Ahmad Masoud, leader of the National Resistance Front, expressed his gratitude on Saturday, May 23, to European Parliament members opposing normalization with the Taliban. He called on European countries to stand alongside the “freedom-loving people of Afghanistan” and warned that democratic values must not be sacrificed for political expediency.
Picierno, sharing Masoud’s message on X (formerly Twitter), wrote: “There is no way other than cooperating with you, the democratic opposition, and those who represent the women of Afghanistan.” She added that Masoud represents “another Afghanistan,” one entirely opposed to the Taliban administration, whose existence, in her view, exposes the oppressive nature of the group.
The Vice President of the European Parliament stressed that Europe’s choice is clear: to stand with an opposition aligned with the fundamental values of the European Union or to engage with a regime accused, in her words, of “crimes against humanity” against its own people. These remarks come in the context of the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants last July for Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban leader, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, head of the group’s Supreme Court, on charges of systematic persecution of women and girls.
The European Commission has confirmed that, in cooperation with Swedish authorities, it is planning technical meetings with the Taliban administration’s delegation in Brussels, though the exact date has yet to be finalized. It is also unclear whether the delegation will include individuals subject to European Union sanctions.
The Taliban administration has not yet issued an official response to the invitation to Brussels or the wave of criticism surrounding it.
