MOSCOW, September 8. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of the European Council Charles Michel discussed the situation in Afghanistan in a phone conversation on Wednesday, the Kremlin press service reported.

"There was a thorough exchange of views on the events in Afghanistan. Both sides stressed the importance of maintaining civil peace in the country and preventing violence, as well as establishing a real inter-Afghan dialogue to ensure the integrity of the Afghan state, taking into account the interests of all groups of the population," according to the statement.

The Kremlin press service notes that Putin and Michel expressed "readiness to cooperate in order to stabilize the situation and prevent the risks of the spread of terrorism, extremism, and drug-related crime."

After the end of the US operation in Afghanistan and the withdrawal of coalition troops from the country, the radical Taliban movement (outlawed in Russia) launched an offensive and, by September 6, announced the establishment of control over the entire Afghan territory. By September 8, the Taliban had formed an interim government of Afghanistan, which included only representatives of the movement. The radicals were unable to approve the cabinet for two weeks due to "technical difficulties," as they put it.