Russian Ambassador Calls For Cooperation With Taliban Where It Meets Russia’s Interests

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Taliban (under UN sanctions over terrorism) are a reality in Afghanistan that cannot be avoided, so one needs to work with them where it meets the national interests of Russia, Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan Dmitry Zhirnov told Sputnik.

He said that negotiations of the Taliban government's industry and trade delegation with Russian partners will kick off in Moscow on August 15.

"The Taliban, regardless of how they are perceived, are a reality that cannot be avoided. Therefore, we must work with them where it suits our interests and where it is required to solve the problems facing Russia," Russian Ambassador Zhirnov told Sputnik.

According to a document obtained by Sputnik, the Taliban have declared August 15 a public holiday to mark the first anniversary of their rise to power in Afghanistan.

The Afghan population has been facing a deepening economic, humanitarian and security crisis since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, resulting in the collapse of the US-backed civilian government and mass evacuations.

Nader Nadery, a former senior member of the Afghan peace negotiations team and senior fellow at the Asser Institute of international law, told Sputnik earlier this month that the private sector in Afghanistan does not have enough confidence to invest and the Taliban are unable to adopt policies that would generate confidence in the market.