Russia trying to establish a good relationship with the Taliban

RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS - In Brief 17 Aug 2021 by Alex Teddy
On August 15 the Taliban took Afghanistan's capital. Moscow praised the Taliban for restoring stability to the city. On August 17 the Russian ambassador is to meet with the Taliban. The Taliban have said they are guaranteeing security of life and property. The US and other NATO countries have mostly shut their embassies. The Russian Embassy is open but with a reduced staff. The Russian Ambassador spoke of this positive impression of Taliban control. He said it compared favorably to the rule of the previous regime. The Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country on August 15. He is rumored to be in Uzbekistan. Bedlam at Kabul airport as pro-NATO Afghans fight to get on planes out of the country is leading to schadenfreude in Russia. This is deeply humiliating for the US. However, Russia is worried lest the Taliban inspire and assist Islamist movements in former USSR countries, possibly including Russia.The US and Russia are discussing the situation. Moscow said it is considering recognizing the Taliban as the legitimate government. That will depend on the Taliban's behavior. The withdrawal led to Afghanistan's falling to the Taliban faster than any pundits predicted. When the USSR withdrew in 1989 the pro-Soviet government held Kabul for a further 4 years.For a few years Russia has recognized that the Taliban represents Afghanistan's future. Russia has built a decent relationship with the Taliban with the caveat that if the Taliban intrudes into the former USSR, then Russia will hit back hard.

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