Overview

• Moscow received the credentials of the Taliban-appointed Afghan ambassador and hoisted the Taliban-introduced flag at its embassy for the first time.
• The recognition marks the first official acknowledgment of the Taliban government by any nation since Kabul fell in August 2021.
• The Foreign Ministry said the move will accelerate bilateral cooperation in energy, transport, agriculture, infrastructure, education and cultural exchanges.
• Special envoy Zamir Kaboulov and the Foreign Ministry confirmed the decision to state news agencies, and Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi praised it as a courageous precedent.
• Russia pledged to help Kabul bolster regional security and combat terrorism and drug trafficking under the new diplomatic framework.