Moscow’s Strategic Pivot: Taliban Recognition Reshapes Eurasian Dynamics

Russia has made a landmark geopolitical move by officially recognizing the Taliban government in Afghanistan. The Russian Foreign Ministry announced it had received the credentials of Ambassador Gul Hassan, thus becoming the first country to recognize the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power in August 2021. In its official statement, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that this recognition will give new momentum to productive bilateral cooperation—particularly in the sectors of energy, transport, agriculture, and infrastructure. Moscow also pledged continued assistance to Kabul in “enhancing regional security and combating terrorism and drug trafficking.” The Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs hailed the decision as historic—a sentiment reinforced by the long and turbulent history between the two nations. After a decade-long war between the Soviet Union and Afghan mujahideen—some of whom later formed the modern Taliban—Moscow kept diplomatic channels open with Kabul, even after the United States’ chaotic withdrawal in 2021. In April 2025, Russia's Supreme Court formally removed the Taliban from its list of banned terrorist organizations, paving the way for formal diplomatic recognition.