Putin refers to Taliban administration in Afghanistan as Russia's 'ally' in fight against terrorism

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday referred to the Taliban movement, which governs Afghanistan, as an "ally" in the fight against terrorism.

Speaking at a press briefing in Astana, Kazakhstan, Putin acknowledged that Afghanistan faces issues that require "constant attention" from both Russia and the international community.

"Generally, we have to proceed from the fact that the Taliban control power in the country. In this sense, the Taliban are certainly our allies in the fight against terrorism, because any acting government is concerned with the stability of its administration and the state it governs," he emphasized.

The Russian leader noted that Moscow has received signals from the Taliban indicating their readiness to cooperate in combating terrorism.

Regarding the situation in Ukraine, Putin ruled out the possibility of declaring a cease-fire before signing a peace agreement. He pointed out that Russia has unilaterally declared cease-fires several times, but Ukraine has used these opportunities to strengthen its positions rather than engage in peace talks.

He said no mediator in the conflict with Ukraine can be authorized to sign the final documents, although Moscow welcomes mediation efforts.

He stressed that the current Ukrainian government, which he described as having usurped power, cannot be considered a legitimate entity for signing such documents.

Regarding comments from US presidential nominee Donald Trump about being able to stop the war in Ukraine, Putin said he takes them seriously but has not seen any concrete proposals.

Putin also warned that if the US deploys intermediate- and shorter-range missiles, Russia may respond in kind.