Russia says it is moving to a “full-fledged partnership” with Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban authorities and is encouraging other countries in the region to expand cooperation with Kabul. The statement is attributed to a senior Russian security official speaking on May 14. The remarks come as Russia continues to deepen its relationship with the Taliban government, which took power after the U.S.-led withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Reuters reports that Russia last year became the first country to formally recognise the Taliban government following its takeover in August 2021. Separately, Daily Sabah reports on the same stance, describing Russia’s push for stronger ties with Taliban authorities and urging other regional states to follow suit. Across both accounts, the focus is on Russia’s intent to broaden engagement with Afghanistan under Taliban rule and to persuade neighboring countries to increase their own cooperation with Kabul. No specific details are provided in the available excerpts about the scope of the partnership, including security, diplomatic, or economic measures.