Lavrov deems NATO presence in Afghanistan 'absolutely unacceptable'

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday declared that Moscow views any deployment of NATO military infrastructure in Afghanistan and neighboring countries as "absolutely unacceptable," warning that such moves risk destabilizing the region.

Speaking at the 8th Moscow Format consultations on Afghanistan, Lavrov said the placement of alliance assets near Russian borders under any pretext would undermine security and provoke renewed tensions in Central Asia.

Taliban Governance Assessment

Lavrov assessed that the Taliban-led government had consolidated control over the country’s territory and was governing "quite successfully" five years after the end of Western occupation. "This August marked five years since the country’s liberation from two decades of Western occupation," he said. "The national government that came to power, led by the Taliban movement, took control of the country’s territory and -- it must be admitted -- is governing it quite successfully."

He noted that Afghan security forces were actively combatting ISIS and other terrorist groups, with hundreds of militants eliminated and several high-profile attacks thwarted in recent operations.

Security Cooperation and Economic Indicators

Lavrov emphasized that strengthening Kabul’s counter-terrorism capabilities served the shared interests of regional powers. "I would emphasize that it is in our shared interest to help strengthen Kabul’s counter-terrorism capabilities by providing logistical and expert assistance and maintaining contacts between special services and security agencies," he said.

He also cited UN estimates showing opium production had fallen 90 percent since 2022, while approximately 170 manufacturing facilities had opened and foreign trade reached $14 billion last year despite severe Western sanctions. "Russia will continue to carry out regular humanitarian deliveries," Lavrov said, adding that the next shipment was expected to arrive within the next "one or two months" amid warnings that over 17 million Afghans could face food shortages this winter.