KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Russia has officially elevated Taliban’s diplomatic representation in Moscow to the ambassadorial level, days after removing the group from its list of banned terrorist organizations.
According to a statement from Russia’s Foreign Ministry, the decision was formally conveyed during a meeting between Taliban leaders and Russian officials in Moscow.
The Taliban delegation included the interim foreign and interior ministers, while Russia was represented by Zamir Kabulov, the presidential envoy for Afghanistan, and Dmitry Zhirnov, the Russian ambassador to Kabul.
Last week, Russia’s Supreme Court suspended a ban on Taliban activities that had been in place since 2003.
The move follows a legislative amendment passed in December 2024, allowing for the temporary suspension of restrictions on groups previously designated as terrorist organizations.
While the decision marks a shift in Russia’s diplomatic approach, no country has formally recognized the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan since the group’s return to power in August 2021.
