Russia - Afghanistan relations

Political analyst and university instructor

19 Nov 2021 3 3

Vladimir Putin

Inserted 2 years ago

“We face serious tasks in the Afghan direction, especially after the Americans have pulled out from that country. The developments in Afghanistan prompt the need for additional measures to ensure Russia's security on the southern frontiers and provide assistance to Central Asian states as our allies, which perceive Russia as a guarantor of stability in the region. It is necessary to continue working in this mode, taking measures to prevent uncontrolled flows of refugees and prevent the infiltration of terrorists and other criminal elements through our border.”

President of Russia

18 Nov 2021 6 2

Arkady Dubnov

Inserted 2 years ago

“Russia is important to the Taliban as a lobbyist for their political ambitions. We are permanent members of the UN Security Council. And the new government of Afghanistan wants to get a seat at the UN. Moscow can lobby for the removal of the Taliban from the list of terrorist organizations at the UN Security Council, which, in principle, should lead to diplomatic recognition of the new Kabul government.”

Aa

Russian expert on Central and South Asia

22 Oct 2021 4 5

Vladimir Putin

Inserted 2 years ago

“These decisions were made at the level of the United Nations. Our expectation is that these people, the Taliban, that now clearly control Afghanistan, will see that the situation develops in a positive way. If that happens, we would decide to take them off the list of terrorist organizations.”

Themoscowtimes

Russian president

21 Oct 2021 4 3

Sergey Lavrov

Inserted 2 years ago

“Numerous terrorist groups, notably the Islamic State and al-Qaida are trying to take advantage of the instability in the country mounting bloody attacks. There is a real danger of terrorism and drugs spilling into the neighbouring nations under the guise of migration.”

Theguardian

Russian Foreign Minister

20 Oct 2021 5 6

Sergey Lavrov

Inserted 2 years ago

“A new administration is in power now. We note their efforts to stabilise the military and political situation and set up work of the state apparatus. Official recognition of the Taliban is not under discussion for now. Like most of other influential countries in the region, we are in contact with them. We are prodding them to fulfil the promises they made when they came to power.”

Russian Foreign Minister

20 Oct 2021 2 3

Aziz Miraj

Inserted 2 years ago

“The Taliban's invitation by Moscow, and the organization of a summit there ... will have a very big influence on the situation at the international level, and it may even drag Afghanistan out of isolation because Russia is a powerful country in the world and is one of the opponent countries of NATO and West.”

Former diplomat

17 Oct 2021 4 4

Anaamullah Samangani

Inserted 2 years ago

“A high-level delegation of the Islamic Emirate government of Afghanistan, led by Abdul Salam Hanafi, deputy of prime minister, will participate in the Moscow conference. (They) will hold talks on various issues related to Afghanistan with the representatives of different countries. Of course, we should wait for further details, as the format of the conference is yet to be decided.”

Member of the Taliban’s cultural commission

17 Oct 2021 4 4

Sergey Lavrov

Inserted 2 years ago

“The question of international recognition of the Taliban at the present juncture is not on the table.”

Reuters

Russian Foreign Minister

25 Sep 2021 2 3

Vladimir Putin

Inserted 2 years ago

“The security bloc should use its potential to stimulate the new Afghan authorities in fulfilling their promises on normalizing life and bringing security in Afghanistan. I think it also makes sense to work with the United States [and] other Western countries for a gradual unfreezing of Afghanistan's reserves and restoring programs through the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.”

President of Russia

17 Sep 2021 6 2

Vladimir Putin

Inserted 2 years ago

“Russia is not interested in the disintegration of Afghanistan. If this happens, then there will be no one to talk to. The sooner the Taliban will enter the family of civilised people, so to speak, the easier it will be to contact, communicate, and somehow influence and ask questions. The Americans, very pragmatic people, spent more than $1.5 trillion on this campaign over the years, and what is the result? Zero. If you look at the number of people who have been abandoned in Afghanistan, (who) have been working for the collective West, the US and their allies, then it's a humanitarian catastrophe as well.”

President of Russia

03 Sep 2021 4 6

Zamir Kabulov

Inserted 2 years ago

“We are establishing ties (with Taliban officials), our embassy in Kabul is working quite actively on this. We have had such contacts for a long time and we will work further on them.”

Russian presidential envoy to Afghanistan

01 Sep 2021 3 4

Dmitry Peskov

Inserted 2 years ago

“We think that the Taliban's dominance, the de facto rise to power of the Taliban in Afghanistan, and their taking most of the country under their control is de facto an accomplished process. We believe that we will definitely have to very closely monitor the steps that the Taliban takes in the future in terms of ensuring law and order and the safety of people - first and foremost, the country's citizens - and also the security of Russian diplomats and diplomatic workers, which is crucial for us.”

Kremlin spokesman

26 Aug 2021 2 3

Sergey Lavrov

Inserted 2 years ago

“We remain committed to the task of establishing peace and stability on Afghanistan's territory so that it poses no threats to the region.”

Reuters

Russian Foreign Minister

24 Aug 2021 1 2

Dmitry Zhirnov

Inserted 2 years ago

“The mood in Kabul can be described as one of cautious hope. There was a bad regime which disappeared and people are hopeful. They say it can't be worse so it should be better. But this is another test for the Taliban to pass. After they restore order, they should start improving the socioeconomic situation. We can't wave reality aside. They [the Taliban] are the de facto authorities. There is no alternative to the Taliban in Afghanistan.”

Russian ambassador to Afghanistan

20 Aug 2021 1 4

Ivan Klyszcz

Inserted 2 years ago

“The [Taliban] takeover doesn't change Moscow's fundamental policy toward Afghanistan: to keep the instability of the civil war away from Central Asia. It's more about making sure they have privileged or constant communication with the Taliban, especially where it comes to the borders with Central Asia, and the fight with [Islamic State].”

Researcher and political scientist at the University of Tartu (Estonia)

17 Aug 2021 4 4

Matthew Rojansky

Inserted 2 years ago

“While Russia may be open to limited forms of cooperation with major powers such as China, India, and even the United States on Afghanistan and regional security, it has also invested directly in cultivating relationships with senior Taliban leaders. Consequently, Russia now has some ability to exert direct leverage within Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.”

Director of the Kennan Institute in Washington, D.C.

17 Aug 2021 5 2

Dmitry Zhirnov

Inserted 2 years ago

“They made a good impression on us, proper guys, well-armed, stood around the outer perimeter of the embassy so that no one could break through to us: not a terrorist, not a madman. Taliban representatives assured us again that they will not touch a hair on the heads of Russian diplomats there. They said, 'You can safely continue working.'.”