Russia hosts talks aimed at stabilising Afghanistan under the Taliban

Members of the political delegation from the Taliban attend the talks in Moscow (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool)

Russia hosted talks on Afghanistan on Wednesday involving senior representatives of the Taliban and neighbouring nations, a round of diplomacy that underlines Moscow’s clout.

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov opened the talks and emphasised that “forming a really inclusive government fully reflecting the interests of not only all ethnic groups but all political forces of the country” is necessary to achieve a stable peace in Afghanistan.