Russia has invited the Taliban to its biggest economic forum and is thinking about removing them from its terror list, a Russian diplomat said on Monday.
Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, Moscow has been building ties with them, even though they are still officially banned in Russia.
Russian officials have discussed lifting the ban with President Vladimir Putin. Zamir Kabulov from the Russian foreign ministry said that while some questions remain, the Taliban are invited to the June 5-8 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
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Russia called the Taliban a terrorist group in 2003, but has had informal talks with them over the years. Kabulov mentioned that Afghan leaders are interested in buying oil products.
The St. Petersburg forum used to host Western CEOs and bankers, but now sees businesses from China, India, Africa, and the Middle East, especially after the Ukraine war strained Russia’s ties with the West.
