Lavrov: NATO Military Infrastructure is Unacceptable in Afghanistan

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the deployment of NATO military infrastructure in Afghanistan and neighboring countries for any reason is "absolutely unacceptable".

Lavrov spoke at the 8th meeting of Moscow Consultations on Afghanistan, held in the capital Moscow.

Stating that the Moscow Consultations mechanism has been operating since 2016, Lavrov stated that the platform in question allows current issues in Afghanistan and the region to be discussed together with the Kabul administration.

Stating that 5 years have passed since Afghanistan was liberated from the 20-year Western military presence, Lavrov said that the USA and its NATO allies had to withdraw from the country.

Lavrov 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, runs the country quite successfully." he said.

Stating that Afghan security forces are fighting against DAESH and other terrorist organizations, Lavrov said that hundreds of militants were neutralized and some terrorist attacks, including those against foreign citizens and diplomatic missions, were prevented.

Underlining that it is in their common interest to strengthen Kabul's capacity to fight terrorism, Lavrov noted that in this context, material-technical and expert support as well as contacts between intelligence and security institutions should be maintained.

Stating that opium production in the country has decreased by 90 percent since 2022, Lavrov pointed out that the Afghan economy continues to develop despite the sanctions of Western countries.

Explaining that the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan continues to be difficult, Lavrov stated that the number of people in need of humanitarian aid is expected to reach 22 million.

Reaction to NATO military infrastructure

Touching on the developments in the region, Lavrov said, "I would like to emphasize once again that the deployment of NATO military infrastructure on the territory of Afghanistan and neighboring countries for any reason is absolutely unacceptable." he said.

Arguing that historical experience shows that such a military presence leads to instability and increased conflicts, Lavrov said, "We have not seen any other consequence of such a presence in recent decades." he said.