ROME, August 27. /TASS/. It is a top priority for Russia to ensure the security of its southern borders and its Central Asian allies in the light of the situation in Afghanistan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday.
"It is principally important for us to ensure the security of our southern borders, our allies in Central Asia," he said.
According to the Russian top diplomat, the situation in Afghanistan will be discussed at the summits of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Dushanbe in mid-September. Discussions, in his words, will focus on the problem of illegal migration from Afghanistan, as well as issues of assistance to that country to ensure stability and the normal operation of civil institutions.
After the Biden administration announced the end of its US military operation in Afghanistan and the launch of its troop pullout, the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) embarked on an offensive against Afghan government forces. On August 15, Taliban fighters swept into Kabul without encountering any resistance, and gained full control over the Afghan capital within a few hours. Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani said he had stepped down to prevent any bloodshed and subsequently fled the country. Western nations are in the process of evacuating their citizens and embassy staff.