Taliban Delegation Holds Talks with Russian Officials on Defense Cooperation

The Taliban’s Ministry of Defense has announced that a delegation led by Mohammad Qasim Farid, the ministry’s Deputy for Strategy and Policy, traveled to Russia and met with officials from the Russian Ministry of Defense to discuss defense cooperation and security issues.

According to a released statement, the meeting took place in Moscow with the Russian delegation headed by Vasily Osmakov, Deputy for Strategy and Policy of the Russian Ministry of Defense. Both sides held comprehensive talks on regional security, mutual cooperation, and ways to prevent security challenges.

The Taliban Ministry of Defense added that the meeting emphasized the continuation of relations, expansion of formal interactions, and the establishment of sustained cooperation between the two parties. It was agreed to take joint steps toward regular and systematic collaboration.

Earlier, the Russian news agency Interfax also reported on the talks between senior Russian military officials and the Taliban administration. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated in a press release that the meeting reviewed the current situation and the prospects for developing military cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

So far, Russia is the only country to officially recognize the Taliban administration; a move that has faced widespread domestic and international criticism, intensifying concerns about legitimizing a regime criticized for extensive restrictions, particularly in the field of human rights. Experts believe that Moscow’s main concern is the security threats emerging from Afghanistan and their impact on the region.