Nov 13, 7:01 PM
Russian Delegation Meets Taliban Leaders in Kabul to Expand Economic Ties
Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk leads talks on trade, infrastructure, and mining as bilateral exchange grows.
A 70-member Russian business delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk has held economic talks with high-ranking Taliban officials in Kabul. According to Afghan authorities, Overchuk met with Taliban Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar, and Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Thursday.
During the meetings, Baradar outlined Afghanistan's investment potential, referencing its strategic geographic location, natural resources, and a workforce of 24 million people. A statement from the Afghan government indicated that Baradar invited Russian companies to invest in mining, agriculture, factory construction, and infrastructure projects such as roads and railways. He also proposed the creation of a special economic zone and urged Russia to reduce transport costs while easing market access for Afghan agricultural exports.
Overchuk stated through a Russian news agency that the visiting firms operate across transport, logistics, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals. He reported that bilateral trade between the two nations reached more than 349 million dollars in the first eight months of 2026, representing more than double the volume recorded in the same period of the previous year. According to Overchuk, Afghan officials also expressed interest in purchasing Russian chemical fertilisers and constructing fertiliser manufacturing plants within Afghanistan.
The diplomatic mission follows Russia's official recognition of the Taliban government in July 2025. Moscow remains the only foreign government to have formally recognised the Taliban administration since the group took control of Kabul in August 2021 following the withdrawal of United States military forces. Although other nations have not formally recognised the administration, Taliban representatives have engaged in high-level discussions and established economic ties with several international governments.
Written by Thorben Thiede thorben.thiede@alpineweekly.com
