Russia has officially recognised the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan, becoming the first country to do so since the group took control of Kabul nearly four years ago.
The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed the move on Thursday by accepting the credentials of the Taliban-appointed ambassador to Moscow. This formalises diplomatic ties with the group that returned to power after the U.S. withdrawal in August 2021.
“This act of official recognition will give impetus to the development of productive bilateral cooperation,” the Russian government said in a statement, mentioning plans to work together on energy, transport, agriculture and infrastructure.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, welcomed the decision and called it a “courageous step.”
“Now that the process of recognition has started, Russia was ahead of everyone,” Muttaqi said in a video shared on social media.
The Taliban, declared a terrorist group by Russia in 2003, was removed from that list by Russia’s Supreme Court in April 2025. President Vladimir Putin had already called the Taliban “allies in the fight against terrorism,” especially after blaming ISIS-K for a deadly attack near Moscow that killed 149 people in March this year.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov added, “The new authorities in Kabul are a reality. We need a pragmatic, not ideologised policy.”
Russia never closed its embassy in Kabul and was the first to sign a trade deal with the Taliban regime in 2022, agreeing to supply oil, gas, and wheat. Taliban officials also attended Russia’s major economic forums in 2022 and 2024.
Moscow now plans to use Afghanistan as a transit hub to export gas to Southeast Asia.
Despite Russia’s recognition, the Taliban government faces global criticism, especially for its treatment of women. The United Nations has called these actions “gender apartheid.” Most countries still refer to the Taliban as “de facto authorities,” not a legitimate government.
The U.S. froze $9 billion in Afghan central bank assets in 2021 and imposed sanctions on Taliban leaders, which led to a near-total collapse of the country’s financial system.
Russia’s recognition of the Taliban is striking given its past. In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, triggering a brutal war with U.S.-backed mujahideen fighters—many of whom later became Taliban members. That war cost over 15,000 Soviet lives and contributed to the fall of the USSR.
Now, decades later, Russia is rebuilding ties with those once seen as enemies.
