Alwaght- Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Taliban are now a reality in Afghanistan and that this is a fact the world has to accept.
"The Taliban have practically taken control of all parts of Afghanistan, and this is a fact that we must accept," the Russian president told a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Moscow. He added that the conversation with the German Chancellor was transparent and aimed at examining the middle ground and solving complex problems.
"We have always talked about the relations between the two countries, as well as the review of global policies, and you mentioned this at the Libyan conference [in Germany]," Merkel said during the meeting with Putin.
Bilateral relations, the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, as well as current international issues such as the situation in Afghanistan and the implementation of the Minsk Agreement as a peaceful solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine are the most important agenda of Merkel and Putin.
Meanwhile, with the Taliban taking control of Afghanistan, the leader of one of the ruling parties in the German coalition government called on Foreign Minister Heiko Maas to resign. Rising criticism against the German foreign minister over the failure of the West's plan in Afghanistan has led to calls for the FM to resign.
Is Russia for a new Taliban rule?
Russia may not want to see an Islamic emirate established within a few miles of its borders, but as long as the Taliban's agenda is as local as ISIS's and does not involve the world, and their focus is on enforcing their own law in Afghanistan, no matter how too bad, it is tolerable from Moscow's point of view. Certainly the Russian military intelligence service will monitor the situation, and the ministry of defense will have to coordinate more militarily with its counterparts in Central Asia.
As the US troops withdraw from Afghanistan, the Taliban are rapidly filling the void by seizing large parts of the country and key military infrastructure. Last week, the group announced that it controlled 85 percent of the country. It also showcased American arms it seized. As hundreds of Afghans, including troops, cross the border into Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, speculation about possible instability in Central Asia is growing. Many governments in the region are seeking Moscow's support.
But Moscow does not want to take a harsh tone against the insurgent group. Rather, it seeks to build bridges with the Taliban. After all, it has an experience of fight against it in the 1980s and doss not want fresh lessons. Moscow knows that opposition to this group should end up in a war and this war would be costly.
On the other hand, the Taliban seem to be more flexible, at least now, and are open to negotiations. Even their main agenda now is reconstruction of Afghanistan as they claim, signaling that the world countries, and mainly Russia and even China, can talk for cooperation. Moscow is receiving the signal and taking it seriously.
