RASC News Agency: Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesperson, underscored the strategic significance of fostering relations with the Taliban while clarifying that Russia has yet to decide on delisting the group from its roster of terrorist organizations. This statement follows the Taliban’s earlier claims that the process of their removal from Russia’s terrorist designation was nearing its final stages. Peskov affirmed that any decision, once finalized, would be announced with full details. Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, he reiterated Moscow’s ongoing engagement with the Taliban leadership. “Strengthening relations and maintaining direct contact with Afghanistan’s leadership and the forces in power is crucial, particularly given Afghanistan’s geographic proximity as a neighboring region,” Peskov noted.
Previously, Andrey Rudenko, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, suggested that delisting the Taliban could facilitate broader cooperation, particularly in economic domains. However, he cautioned that discussions surrounding the formal recognition of the Taliban remain premature. On Monday, a high-level Russian delegation, led by Sergey Shoigu, Secretary of the Security Council, and Alexey Overchuk, Deputy Prime Minister, visited Afghanistan and held discussions with senior Taliban officials. According to a statement from the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior, Sergey Shoigu indicated that the delisting process was in its final phase.
In a related statement, Mullah Baradar’s press office quoted the Russian official as saying, “In the near future, to advance political and economic relations between the two nations, the Islamic Emirate’s name will be removed from Russia’s blacklist.”
