Giorgio Cafiero
Nearly four years after the Taliban reconquered Afghanistan, numerous countries have diplomatically engaged with the Islamic Emirate, accepting its rule as a political reality. Yet, no government had formally recognized the “Taliban 2.0” until Russia did so on July 3.
While Russia’s decision marked a major victory for the Kabul regime, exiled Afghan dissidents and human rights advocates strongly criticized Moscow’s move, arguing it risks legitimizing gender apartheid in Afghanistan while dimming prospects for democratic reforms.
Still, in the face of Afghanistan’s enduring hardships, Russia’s decision may mark the beginning of a new chapter—one in which greater international engagement could help steer the war-torn, impoverished country toward economic revival and enhanced stability.
The fact that Russia was the first to recognize the Islamic Emirate was unsurprising. Since the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, Russia-Taliban diplomatic engagement has steadily deepened.
In March 2022, Russia’s Foreign Ministry accredited Taliban envoy Jamal Nasir Gharwal as chargé d’affaires at the Afghan embassy in Moscow, with Gharwal formally assuming control of the mission the following month. This gradual normalization continued with Moscow revoking its terrorist designation of the Taliban in April 2025, paving the way for official recognition earlier this month.
Both Moscow and Kabul hope that Russia’s act of recognition will serve as a precedent, prompting a gradual cascade of similar moves by other non-Western nations.
“The decision to be the first country in the world to recognize the Taliban state was driven by Moscow’s desire to present itself as a leader in the region who is not afraid to set precedents. In this regard, the Kremlin hopes that its decision will be followed by other countries,” Nikita Smagin, an independent expert on Russia’s foreign policy in the Middle East, told this author.
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