Russian officials heading to Afghanistan for trade, investment talks with Taliban

KABUL, Afghanistan — A Russian delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk arrived in Kabul Thursday for trade and investment talks with the Taliban government, Afghan officials said.Russia officially recognized the Taliban government in July 2025.It remains the only country to have done so since the former insurgent group seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021 in the wake of the withdrawal of U.S.-led troops from the country.

Largely isolated from the international community and with a struggling economy, Kabul has been keen to increase foreign investment and open new trade avenues.Russia’s Interfax news agency reported that Overchuk was due to meet with Prime Minister Mohammad Hasan Akhund and Abdul Ghani Baradar, the deputy prime minister for economic affairs.The Afghan government said in posts on its official X social media account that in their meeting, Baradar stressed Afghanistan’s potential for economic development and investment, highlighting “its strategic location, rich resources and a large workforce of 24 million people of working age.”During the meeting, Baradar invited Russian companies to invest in Afghanistan in sectors including mineral extraction, the development of factories, infrastructure and special economic zones.He also said there was scope to expand exports of Afghan agricultural products to Russia, and for Russian investment in Afghanistan’s agriculture and livestock farming, the government said.The deputy prime minister also asked Russia “to provide the necessary facilities for Afghan products in Russian markets and to cooperate in reducing transportation and transit costs,” the government statement said.

It said that Baradar also spoke of investment opportunities in railway and road construction projects.Interfax news agency quoted Overchuk as saying that Russia intends to develop trade ties with Afghanistan.“Today our delegation includes more than 70 businessmen representing dozens of Russian compa...