Russia’s Afghan Envoy Says Moscow and Washington Have No Dialogue on Afghanistan

MOSCOW, 14.01.26 – Russia and the United States currently have no bilateral contacts regarding Afghanistan, a senior Russian diplomat stated, highlighting a near-total breakdown in cooperation on a critical regional security issue.

Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s Special Presidential Representative for Afghanistan, confirmed the lack of engagement in an interview with the state news agency TASS. He stated that there have been no substantive discussions between the two nations on Afghan matters for an extended period.

“No, they have not made contact, which is why there has been no such conversation,” Kabulov said, when asked about current Moscow-Washington dialogue. He emphasized that this diplomatic silence is not new, noting that “no channels were left” for bilateral communication on Afghanistan throughout the entire year of 2023.

According to Kabulov, this lapse includes a complete absence of dialogue with the former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, Thomas West, during that period. This stands in stark contrast to earlier engagement, such as in 2021, when West visited Moscow for multilateral consultations under the “Moscow Format.”

“At that time, the international situation was completely different,” Kabulov remarked, alluding to the severe deterioration in U.S.-Russia relations following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The Russian envoy referenced a specific instance where indirect contact occurred but led to a pointed rebuke. He cited a UN-hosted meeting on Afghanistan in Doha in the spring of 2023, convened by Secretary-General António Guterres. While Kabulov, China’s Special Envoy Yue Xiaoyong, and Thomas West were all in attendance, the Russian and Chinese diplomats publicly distanced themselves from the U.S. representative.

“West and I were there. However, my Chinese colleague and I told Guterres that we could not be on the same team as a country that had seized the money of the Afghan people and was not returning it,” Kabulov stated.

This accusation refers to the ongoing impasse over approximately $7 billion in Afghan central bank assets frozen by the United States after the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021. The dispute over these funds, which the international community views as vital for stabilizing Afghanistan’s crippled economy, has become a major point of contention and a key reason cited by Moscow for refusing cooperation with Washington.

Analysts’ Perspective:
The absence of U.S.-Russia dialogue on Afghanistan removes a potentially significant channel for addressing the country’s complex challenges. Both nations share overlapping concerns, including the threat of terrorism emanating from Afghan territory and the deepening humanitarian crisis. However, their fundamental geopolitical rivalry and starkly different positions on the Taliban’s legitimacy—with Moscow engaging more openly with the de facto authorities—have effectively paralyzed bilateral coordination. This diplomatic vacuum complicates international efforts to formulate a unified approach toward Afghanistan and leaves regional players to take the lead.

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