Russia has taken the unprecedented step of formally recognizing the Taliban government in Afghanistan, marking a significant shift in international relations. This announcement, made on July 4 by Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s special representative for Afghanistan, to the Ria Novosti state news agency, makes Russia the first country to officially acknowledge the Taliban’s rule.

The Russian foreign ministry’s statement, released after accepting credentials from a new Afghan ambassador, emphasized that this recognition aims to foster productive bilateral cooperation across various sectors.

No other nation has yet formally recognized the Taliban administration, which seized power in August 2021 following the withdrawal of US-led forces.

While countries like China, the UAE, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan have appointed ambassadors to Kabul, this move by Russia represents a major step towards legitimizing the Taliban regime on the world stage.This decision holds significant implications, particularly for the United States, which has imposed sanctions on several Taliban leaders and frozen billions of dollars in Afghan central bank assets.

These actions have severely hampered Afghanistan’s access to the international financial system.Russia’s move follows its April 2025 decision to remove the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations, a step seen as paving the way for improved relations.

Shared security concerns, especially the fight against the Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-K), have also contributed to closer ties between Russia and the Taliban.Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi hailed Russia’s decision as “brave,” suggesting it could set a precedent for other nations. He expressed confidence that the recognition process had begun and that Russia had taken the lead.