KABUL (Pajhwok): Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu has said the United States and its allies must acknowledge full responsibility for their 20-year presence in Afghanistan and bear the main burden of the country’s post-war reconstruction.
He emphasized that expanding cooperation with Kabul and resuming the activities of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) contact group with Afghanistan were essential for regional security and economic development.
According to TASS, Shoigu made the remarks at the 21st meeting of the secretaries of relevant institutions of SCO member states.
“Our fundamental approach is that the United States and its allies must acknowledge full responsibility for their 20-year presence in Afghanistan and assume the main burden of its post-conflict reconstruction,” Shoigu said.
He added: “We consider the return of third-country military infrastructure to Afghanistan or the deployment of new military facilities in neighboring states unacceptable.”
Shoigu also said Russia recognized the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in July 2025 and had established what he described as a pragmatic dialogue with the Afghan government.
“We are consistently building a full-fledged partnership — from political and security contacts to trade, economic, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation,” he noted.
He stressed that cooperation with Kabul served the goals of regional security and economic development.
“We believe it is essential to agree on modalities for resuming the activities of the SCO-Afghanistan contact group, as well as expanding cooperation within regional initiatives, including the Moscow Format,” Shoigu said.
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