Talibans First Ambassador to Moscow Marks New Diplomatic Era

On Tuesday, a diplomat from the Taliban will officially take on the position of Afghanistan’s ambassador to Russia, marking the first major diplomatic appointment by the group in Moscow since they regained control of the country in 2021, according to reports from Russian state media.

Gul Hassan, who previously served as a consul in Pakistan, arrived in Moscow earlier today and is expected to «commence his responsibilities» soon, as stated by the state-owned TASS news agency.

An official at the Afghan embassy confirmed to AFP that Hassan was scheduled to arrive today.

Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan after a two-decade-long insurgency against the U.S.-backed government in Kabul, Moscow has been seeking to enhance its economic and diplomatic relationships with the group.

Several nations, including China and the United Arab Emirates, have also accepted envoys appointed by the Taliban, though no country has yet formally recognized them as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.

The Taliban took control after the withdrawal of American forces that were supporting the internationally recognized Afghan government in 2021.

Since that time, Moscow has taken measures to facilitate relations with the Taliban regime, lifting its designation of the group as a «terrorist organization» in April and inviting its representatives to attend official functions.

In 2022, Russia accepted a Taliban-appointed charge d’affaires.

Additionally, Russia became the first nation to establish a business representation office in Kabul following the Taliban’s takeover and has expressed intentions to utilize Afghanistan as a transit hub for gas exports to Southeast Asia.

In July 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin referred to the Taliban as «partners in the battle against terrorism.»