Photo: Collected
The United States will not recognize the Taliban as Afghanistan's government and believes any Russian decision to do so would send a wrong message, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said on Tuesday (28 May).
"We are in no position nor will we be to recognize the Taliban as the official government of Afghanistan, and for Russia to do so, I do believe, we believe that that would send a bad message to others," Kirby said during a White House press briefing.
Earlier today, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the status of the Taliban (under UN sanctions for terrorism) in Russia as well as plans to remove it from the list of terrorist organizations is constantly being discussed.
On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the Taliban movement is the real authority in Afghanistan and that plans to remove it from the list of organizations banned in Russia reflect reality.
Later, Special Russian Presidential Envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov said that the status of a terrorist organization of the Taliban movement in Russia prevents the development of relations between Moscow and Kabul.
Messenger/Mumu
