The year 2025 marked a new chapter in Russia-Afghanistan relations. On April 17, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation officially removed the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations. In May and June, business forums were held in Kazan and St. Petersburg, resulting in expanded access for Afghan citizens to the Russian labor market. On July 1, Taliban representative Gul Hassan arrived in Moscow and formally assumed his duties in the capacity of ambassador.

 

According to Zamir Kabulov, Special Representative of the President of Russia for Afghanistan, Moscow intends to host the seventh round of consultations within the framework of the “Moscow Format” this autumn. The Russian side has stated that “Afghanistan will participate as a full-fledged member”. High-level statements of this kind, along with the formal accreditation of an Afghan diplomat with ambassadorial rank, may be interpreted as an implicit signal of the beginning of a recognition process – positioning the Taliban as a legitimate actor in international relations.

 

Russia’s rapprochement with the Taliban is largely driven by trade and economic considerations. However, security imperatives are also playing a key role. As part of its counterterrorism efforts, the Russian government has announced its readiness to supply arms to the Afghan side. This development introduces a new dimension to bilateral engagement – arms trade – which has long been a distinctive feature of Russia’s foreign policy toolkit. In the long run, such cooperation may evolve into a broader partnership in the defense-industrial sphere, thereby strengthening bilateral ties and reorienting Kabul’s geopolitical focus more decisively toward Moscow.

 

* The Institute for Advanced International Studies (IAIS) does not take institutional positions on any issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the IAIS.