Senior Taliban officials have called on major Russian companies to invest in and operate across Afghanistan, highlighting long-standing growing economic cooperation between the two sides.
Muhammad Younus Mohmand, First Deputy of the Taliban-run Chamber of Commerce and Investment, made the remarks in an interview with Russian state news agency RIA Novosti during a Taliban delegation’s visit to St. Petersburg.
“We have always had good and friendly relations with Russia,” Mohmand said, adding that they hope to see leading Russian companies expand their operations in Afghanistan. He noted that several Russian firms are already active in the country.
“Russia is not a new partner for Afghanistan; our relationship goes back nearly 100 years,” he added.
The Taliban delegation, led by Agriculture Minister Attaullah Omari, is attending the 2025 Russian Economic Forum, which began on 18 June and runs through 21 June. According to Taliban officials, key topics at the forum include the environment, agriculture, trade, industry, investment, and knowledge exchange.
Relations between Russia and the Taliban have grown closer since Moscow removed the group from its list of banned organisations. High-level Taliban officials, including Abdul Ghani Baradar and Amir Khan Muttaqi, have made several visits to Russia in recent months.
Analysts say the Kremlin views the Taliban as a useful partner in countering ISIS and limiting Western influence in the region.
