Putin affirms Taliban as allies against terrorism
3 Min Read
Regarding Afghanistan's potential full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Putin remarked that this decision concerns all SCO members, and not solely Russia.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a press conference after the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, Thursday, July 4, 2024. (AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin affirmed the Taliban's role as allies in the fight against terrorism during a press briefing on Thursday.
Despite the Taliban being under UN sanctions for terrorism, Putin acknowledged their control over Afghanistan and stressed the necessity of maintaining relations with the country's real political forces.
"The Taliban movement have made certain commitments … but in general we have to assume that the Taliban control the power in the country. And in that sense, the Taliban are certainly allies for us in fight against terrorism," Putin stated, noting ongoing signals of cooperation from the Taliban on counterterrorism efforts.
Regarding Afghanistan's potential full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Putin remarked that this decision concerns all SCO members, and not solely Russia.
Russia-Belarus Union State unified parliament
Switching focus, Putin addressed internal matters, including the creation of a unified parliament for the Union State of Russia and Belarus.
He described it as a matter of time, suggesting readiness for deeper integration, potentially including a common currency in the future.
"We also have intra-parliamentary structures and intergovernmental ones. Is it necessary now to move, as it was initially stated, to the creation of a unified parliament? It is a matter of time," Putin told reporters.
Read more: Putin: A Champion of the Global South?
Turko-Russian relations
Furthermore, Putin expressed Russia's keen interest in developing relations with Turkey, despite challenges.
"In general, on both sides there is interest in this... natural [interest], related not to the fact that someone is standing in our way, but to the real development of events in Turkey," Putin told reporters, acknowledging Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's political will as conducive to strengthening Ankara-Moscow ties.
Ending Ukraine conflict
Conclusively, on the topic of resolving the Ukraine conflict through mediators, Putin asserted that while Russia remains open to negotiations, a resolution solely through mediation appears unlikely due to the complexities involved.
"We have always been in favor of negotiations, you know it well, we have never given up on them. The question of finalizing the conflict with the help of mediators and only through them seems to me unlikely. First of all, because it is unlikely that a mediator will be empowered to sign final documents," Putin told reporters.
Read more: Putin emphasizes security as key priority for SCO
![In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had "engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)](https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2024/12/21/b4a69f2e-8682-43e4-9d37-49482b304ab3/3.png?v=2&format=webp "In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had \"engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)")
