Russia’s Shoigu Visits Kabul, Seeks Stronger Ties with Taliban-Led Afghanistan

On Monday, Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of Russia’s National Security Council and former Defense Minister, made an unexpected visit to Kabul, marking a significant step in Russia’s engagement with Taliban-led Afghanistan.

During his visit, Shoigu held discussions with key Taliban officials, including deputy prime ministers, focusing on economic, transport, and security cooperation. 

“We are aimed at developing bilateral cooperation between Russia and Afghanistan in all areas,” Shoigu said, expressing Russia’s willingness to foster a constructive political dialogue and support Afghanistan’s development as a stable, independent state.

Shoigu highlighted the importance of Afghanistan’s stability for the broader region and expressed Russia’s intent to help Kabul integrate into regional frameworks. 

“This step will allow not only to establish an effective dialogue on the issues of countering security challenges and threats, such as terrorism, drug trafficking, but also to intensify trade and economic cooperation,” he said.

Shoigu also criticized the United States for what he described as irresponsible actions following its 2021 military withdrawal from Afghanistan. He accused Washington of withholding Afghan assets and called for greater U.S. involvement in rebuilding the country. 

“We’re talking here about returning assets, funds which belong to Afghans and which, so it appears, they are not about to return,” Shoigu remarked, emphasizing that the U.S. should play a leading role in Afghanistan’s reconstruction.

Meanwhile, Abdul Ghani Baradar, Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, sought Moscow’s assistance in countering the impact of Western sanctions. He detailed efforts to boost Afghan exports and attract foreign investment but pointed out that progress had been hindered by these restrictions. 

“We are therefore waiting for the Russian Federation to help us neutralize this pressure,” Baradar said.

Shoigu’s visit comes as Russia carefully navigates its diplomatic stance on Afghanistan. Despite having designated the Taliban as a terrorist organization in 2003, Moscow has engaged with the group diplomatically, even hosting talks prior to the Taliban’s takeover in 2021. Following Shoigu’s visit, Russian lawmakers introduced a bill to remove the Taliban from Russia’s list of banned organizations.

Russia’s interest in Afghanistan is also tied to its broader regional strategy. With the Islamic State (IS) expanding its presence in Afghanistan, Moscow is keen to prevent instability from spreading into Central Asia and threatening its borders. Tajikistan, sharing a 1,357-kilometer (843-mile) border with Afghanistan, is particularly at risk.

As Russia faces economic isolation from the West due to its invasion of Ukraine, it has increasingly turned its focus to Asia and other non-Western regions. Shoigu’s visit to Afghanistan underscores Moscow’s intent to strengthen alliances in the region.