Putin backs US troop presence in Afghanistan

KABUL is in the interest of overall regional security, says the Russian president.

"Initially, we backed the US forces’ presence in Afghanistan and earlier voted in favour of a UN Security Council resolution,” Vladimir Putin said in an interview on Sunday.

He told Rossiya-1 TV channel: “I still believe the US presence in Afghanistan does not run counter to our external interests."

American plans for withdrawal from Afghanistan might be helpful for reconciliation in that country, he said.

But Putin believed the US presence in Afghanistan contributed to stability and its exit created risks. "We don’t have to fight against the Americans’ presence there."

Russia was cooperating with the US despite numerous contradictions in many areas, he said, explaining that cooperation at the level of special services was still ongoing.

The Americans shared counter-terrorism data with the Russians, he confirmed. "We view the American effort in Afghanistan as an anti-terrorist effort," Putin remarked.

He commended his US counterpart Donald Trump for giving information that helped Russia foil several terrorist acts.

PAN Monitor/mud