The coming of the Taliban (a terrorist organization banned in Russia) to power in Afghanistan is a de facto fait accompli, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Thursday.
He noted that Russia has not yet recognized the Taliban and is monitoring the situation very closely. Moscow believes that the Taliban's domination of Afghanistan, that is, the Taliban's de facto coming to power and the Taliban's taking control of most of the country's territory, is a de facto fait accompli, Peskov said.
The presidential spokesman added that Russia would closely monitor the Taliban's next steps in terms of ensuring order and the security of Afghan citizens and Russian diplomats. "This is a priority right now," he stressed. - "First of all, we have to see how this accomplished domination of the Taliban in Afghanistan will be implemented in reality".
Answering the question whether Russia is interested that a terrorist organization would have legitimate power in Afghanistan, Peskov said, "Russia is interested that there would be peace and stability in Afghanistan. Russia is interested that the people of Afghanistan would finally gain peace and security and that the rivers and seas of opiates flowing in all four directions would stop flowing from Afghanistan".
Peskov also said that Russia's position on the number of Afghans the country is ready to accept has not yet been formulated; work is going on through the migration authorities and the Russian foreign ministry. "There is no any formulated position on this issue," said the Kremlin spokesman. - "The migration authorities and the foreign ministry are coordinating their efforts."
"The situation is changing, a lot of questions remain now, the position will be formulated as it becomes clearer," Peskov added.
Russian Ambassador to Kabul Dmitry Zhirnov said on Wednesday that more than 360 Afghans with Russian citizenship had been evacuated by Russian Defense Ministry aircraft. The issue of taking students from Afghanistan to study in Russia, according to the Russian embassy in Kabul, is being worked out and flights will be requested in September.
Contacts with the US
Peskov said the situation in Afghanistan requires an exchange of views and information between Russia and the US, a mechanism for such contacts has been established.
"These contacts arise as needed, but the mechanism of contacts has been established. Of course, the situation requires an exchange of opinions, exchange of information, so, of course, with a high degree of probability, of course, such contacts will continue," the Kremlin spokesman responded to a question about whether high-level contacts between Moscow and Washington on Afghan issues are planned.
Peskov reminded in this respect of the telephone conversation earlier this week between Secretary of the Security Council Nikolai Patrushev and Assistant to the US President for National Security Jake Sullivan.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS