Russia Says It Will Expand Military and Security Cooperation With Afghanistan

Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, said her country plans to expand cooperation with the Taliban administration in the areas of counterterrorism, narcotics and defence.

Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Zakharova said Russia was seeking to resolve disputes between Afghanistan and Pakistan through diplomatic means and was steadily increasing its cooperation with Kabul.

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman added that confronting security threats in the region is a shared responsibility among countries and that achieving this goal requires constructive engagement and joint efforts by all relevant sides.

The remarks come as Russia and the Taliban administration signed a military-technical cooperation agreement on May 27 this year. Such cooperation, taking shape during a sensitive and unstable period in Afghanistan, has raised widespread concerns about its impact on stability and the rights of the Afghan people, especially women and vulnerable groups.