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Afghan settlement should consider Taliban’s role in politics, says Russian envoy

The situation in Afghanistan is changing very quickly, especially as a result of the US troop pullout from the country, Russia’s Permanent Representative at the UN Vassily Nebenzia pointed out

UN, June 30. /TASS/. Russia believes that the process of settling the situation in Afghanistan should take into account the role that the radical Taliban movement [outlawed in Russia] plays in the country’s political life, Russia’s Permanent Representative at the UN Vassily Nebenzia told a briefing on Wednesday.

"We are actively participating in all the efforts for establishing peace in Afghanistan," the Russian envoy said.

"It is necessary to address this issue as quickly as possible because the Taliban itself claims that it is controlling 80% of the territory of Afghanistan. I do not know, how accurate these figures are, and cannot comment on them. But a solution cannot be found without taking into account the fact that the Taliban has become a part of the political landscape of Afghanistan," Nebenzya said.

The situation in Afghanistan is changing very quickly, especially as a result of the US troop pullout from the country, the Russian envoy pointed out. "We will still have to see, what the country looks like after the Americans complete their withdrawal," he added.

US President Joe Biden announced on April 14 that the United States would launch the process of pulling American troops out of Afghanistan in May and complete it by September 11, 2021, although the previous administration of Donald Trump had signed a peace deal with the Taliban in Doha in February 2020, which stipulated the withdrawal of US and allied forces by May 1.

The Taliban has launched an offensive, occupying some district centers and encircling others.