ROME, August 27. /TASS/. Russia is ready to cooperate with all countries to normalize the situation in Afghanistan, giving priority to security issues, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference on Friday.
"We will coordinate our actions, above all, with allies and strategic partners within the framework of the CSTO and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. We will be ready to cooperate with all other countries that in the spirit of goodwill can facilitate the normalization of the situation in Afghanistan with the emphasis on ensuring security. Everything else will be a secondary priority," he said.
On August 15, Taliban fighters (outlawed in Russia) 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. Vice President Amrullah Saleh announced that, in the absence of the head of state, the constitution empowered him to become the caretaker president and urged the Afghan people to join the resistance against the Taliban radical movement. At present, Western nations are evacuating their citizens and embassy staff.