Removing Taliban From List of Terrorist Groups Not Possible Soon, Says Russia

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko announced that the process of removing the Taliban from the list of terrorist groups "will not be fast”.

He explained that removing the Taliban from Russia's list of terrorist groups requires changes in the country's laws.

In an interview with Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, Rudenko said, "This process is not fast, because it requires changes in Russian laws."

At the same time, he added, "Russia, like some other countries, is ready to expand cooperation with the Taliban."

According to him, this cooperation is not possible without removing the Taliban from the list of terrorist groups.

In the interview, the text of which was published on Thursday, Rudenko said, "The Taliban movement is in power in Afghanistan and it is an objective reality that must be taken into account."

Zamir Kabulov, Russia's special representative for Afghanistan affairs, announced in June 2024 that the proposal to remove the Taliban's name from the list of terrorist organisations in Russia has been communicated to Vladimir Putin for a final decision. Zamir Kabulov said that there are still issues about the Taliban and a decision will be made after they are resolved.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters during a visit to Tashkent on May 29, 2024, that how to establish relations with the Taliban is a different question, but we must have a relationship with them somehow.

Putin referred to consultations with regional partners, including in Central Asia, on relations with the Taliban, saying, "We take into account the views of each of our partners and friends and will coordinate on this issue."