MOSCOW — Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday that the suspension of the Taliban’s designation as a terrorist organization by the country’s Supreme Court would pave the way for a “full-fledged partnership” with the Taliban administration in Afghanistan.
In a statement, the ministry said that the Supreme Court’s decision on April 17 followed recent legal reforms in Russia, citing Federal Law No. 513-FZ, passed on December 28, 2024.
According to the ministry, lifting the terror designation opens the door to broader cooperation between Moscow and Kabul, which it said would serve “the interests of the peoples of Russia and Afghanistan.”
Russia emphasized that its objective is to establish mutually beneficial relations across a range of fields, including counter-narcotics and counterterrorism. The ministry praised the Taliban for their military operations against the Islamic State’s Khorasan branch in Afghanistan, which Moscow described as adherents of “global jihadist ideology.”
Moscow said it plans to expand trade, investment, and infrastructure projects with Afghanistan, describing the country’s strategic location as vital to future regional energy and infrastructure initiatives.
However, the Foreign Ministry noted that the court’s decision does not affect Russia’s international obligations regarding United Nations sanctions against individuals and entities associated with the Taliban and other groups.
