Russia accepted the credentials of a new Afghan ambassador to Moscow on Thursday, making it the first country to extend diplomatic recognition to the Taliban since the Islamist movement retook power in the south Asian country in 2021.
The move, taken after a decision by President Vladimir Putin, “will fuel productive bilateral co-operation between our countries in various fields”, Russia’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
It posted a picture of deputy foreign minister Andrei Rudenko meeting newly appointed Afghan ambassador Gul Hassan Hassan earlier on Thursday. Taliban diplomats later raised the group’s flag — the Muslim declaration of faith in black script on a white background — at the Afghan embassy.