Sources: European Parliament To Meet Taliban Opposition Groups
Sources told Afghanistan International that the European Parliament and the Belgian Senate are set to host several political and armed groups opposed to the Taliban on March 16 and 17.
Sources told Afghanistan International that the European Parliament and the Belgian Senate are set to host several political and armed groups opposed to the Taliban on March 16 and 17.
According to the sources, the meetings would mark the first public engagement by European institutions with Taliban opponents to discuss the crisis in Afghanistan.
The sources said previous international meetings had largely focused on humanitarian aid, women’s rights and refugee issues. This time, however, the discussions are expected to shift toward political opposition and armed resistance against the Taliban.
In recent years, the European Union has emphasised engagement with the Taliban while avoiding official and public contact with opposition groups.
Belgium has previously hosted meetings on Afghanistan.
The European External Action Service held a senior officials’ meeting in Brussels on June 2025, to discuss Afghanistan’s political and humanitarian situation and the country’s basic needs.
The European Parliament also held public sessions in 2022 on Afghan women’s rights and hosted an event titled “Afghan Women’s Days”.
The European Union pursues what it describes as a policy of “limited and pragmatic engagement” with the Taliban. However, it does not recognise the group or grant it political legitimacy.
European officials have said such engagement is aimed primarily at addressing the situation in Afghanistan, delivering aid to the population and addressing security concerns.
At the same time, the European Union has repeatedly called for the formation of an inclusive political system, respect for human rights, counterterrorism efforts and protection of the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.
European institutions have also repeatedly condemned Taliban restrictions on women and girls and called for those measures to be lifted.
