Russian President Putin puts weight behind Afghan Taliban?
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MOSCOW - The Russian President Vladimir Putin has said a balance of power is needed in Afghanistan as the positions of Taliban are getting stronger.
Putin reportedly made the remarks during a meeting with the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Russia.
“On the issue of Afghanistan, the [Russian] president and the [US] secretary of state also noted rather good cooperation between specialists of our countries. Moreover, our president noted that settlement in Afghanistan is a rather complicated issue as the process itself is difficult. At the same time, the positions of the Taliban
[movement banned in Russia]
are getting stronger. So we need to step up cooperation and try to achieve the balance of power in this country,” presidential aide Yury Ushakov was quoted as saying in a report by Russia’s TASS News Agency.
The latest remarks by Putin came as efforts are underway to find a negotiated political settlement to end the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan.
A trilateral meeting between Russia, China, and United States was organized late last month in Moscow to discuss peace efforts in Afghanistan.
