Russia has expressed willingness to help ease tensions between Afghanistan’s Taliban and Pakistan, with Ambassador Albert Khorev stating on March 19, 2025, that Moscow is ready to facilitate talks through the “Moscow Format” if both parties consent. This diplomatic effort aims to address ongoing disputes, particularly around security and border issues.
Tensions have recently escalated, with a border clash on February 22, 2025, over a Taliban security post and a Pakistani road sign, leading to the closure of the Torkham border crossing. The Torkham border was reopened on 19th March. Pakistan accuses the Taliban of sheltering TTP militants, who have claimed responsibility for attacks inside Pakistan, though the Taliban denies this. The presence of TTP fighters in Afghanistan remains a central issue.
Russia’s Role and Interests
Khorev emphasized that while resolving differences is primarily up to Pakistan and the Taliban, it also aligns with Russia’s interests, as normalizing relations could enhance regional peace and stability. Russia has consistently supported stability in the region and plans to continue doing so.
Russia’s mediation effort is not only a response to immediate tensions but also part of its broader geo-economic strategy, aiming to pioneer connectivity and energy corridors to India via Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. An unexpected detail is Russia’s comparison to China, with analyses suggesting Russia has a better chance of success due to its strategic partnerships with both the Taliban and Pakistan, unlike China’s struggles.
The haunting past
During the Soviet-Afghan War (1979–1989), Pakistan played a crucial role in pushing the Soviet Union out of Afghanistan by serving as a primary base for the mujahideen, Afghan resistance fighters opposing the Soviet occupation. Pakistan provided safe havens, training, and logistical support, channeling weapons and funds from the United States, and other allies through its Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), in collaboration with the CIA, as part of a massive covert operation to counter Soviet influence.
This support was instrumental in sustaining the mujahideen’s guerrilla warfare, which ultimately led to the Soviet withdrawal in 1989. The Taliban, however, did not exist as an organized group during this period, forming only in 1994; but many of its future leaders were among the mujahideen fighters, gaining combat experience and ideological grounding that later shaped the Taliban’s rise, indirectly linking their origins to the anti-Soviet resistance supported by Pakistan.