Russia and Tajikistan to discuss Afghanistan’s situation

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon are set to meet in Leningrad on Tuesday, December 24. According to Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s aide, the discussion will focus on military-technical cooperation and the situation in Afghanistan.

The state-run Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported on Monday, December 23, that other topics of discussion will include migration, and the development of political, trade, economic, and cultural relations between Russia and Tajikistan.

This meeting comes as Tajikistan prepares to assume the presidency of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in January 2025. Russia held the presidency for 2024.

In November this year, the CIS Secretary-General, Sergey Lebedev, announced the organization’s support for a proposed security belt around Afghanistan. He expressed hope that this initiative would help reduce terrorist activities in the region.

The idea of creating a security belt around Afghanistan was first proposed by Emomali Rahmon in October 2022 during an extraordinary session of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

At the time, Rahmon emphasized the need for such a security belt to mitigate potential risks emanating from Afghanistan, particularly in terms of regional stability.

While some neighboring countries maintain economic and diplomatic relations with the Taliban, none have officially recognized their government. Concerns over the spread of extremism remain a shared issue across the region.

The meeting between Putin and Rahmon underscores the growing significance of regional security in the face of instability in Afghanistan. The discussions are expected to shape future policies regarding terrorism, migration, and economic cooperation.

As tensions rise in the region, fostering stronger ties and mutual understanding among CIS countries will be crucial. Collaborative efforts, such as the proposed security belt, could play a pivotal role in maintaining stability and addressing shared security threats.

Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, and Moldova are members of this union.

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