Russia, Afghanistan sign military cooperation pact as ties deepen after Taliban recognition

Kabul (TIP): A year after the Kremlin removed the Taliban from its list of banned terrorist groups, Russia and Afghanistan signed a military cooperation agreement on Wednesday, marking a further step in their expanding ties.
According to a Politico report, while details remain unclear, Afghan Defence Minister Mohammad Yaqoub said it represents an expansion of bilateral relations between the two countries.
“Interaction with Russia is important for us,” Politico quoted Yaqoub as saying after a meeting with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu at the International Security Forum in Moscow.
“Afghanistan and Russia have long-standing and historic relations, and we want to move forward in this direction,” he added.
Shoigu said Western countries should unfreeze Afghan assets and assume responsibility for rebuilding the country after two decades of military presence.
“We are convinced that Western countries should unfreeze blocked Afghan assets, fully recognise their responsibility for their 20-year presence in Afghanistan and bear the burden of the country’s post-conflict reconstruction,” Anadolu Agency quoted Shoigu as saying.
The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979 and fought a decade-long war against the mujahideen, Islamic guerrilla fighters resisting the occupation, many of whom later went on to form the Taliban.
After the withdrawal of Soviet forces, relations between Moscow and Kabul remained strained for years. However, following the US-led invasion of Afghanistan, Russia was later accused of providing arms to the Taliban as the group expanded its control across the country.
In April 2025, Russia removed the Taliban from its list of banned terrorist organisations, a designation that had been in place since 2003. By July of the same year, it became the first country to formally recognise the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan.
Earlier this month, the European Commission confirmed it had invited Taliban officials to Brussels, though a spokesperson clarified the move “does not by any means constitute a recognition.”