Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a speech at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel (not shown) after a bilateral meeting at the Grand Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on August 20, 2021.
Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the 20 years of the US military in Afghanistan have only resulted in tragedy and losses.
- Putin said that Russia will not interfere in Afghanistan.
- Moscow fought a 10-year war in Afghanistan, culminating in the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1989.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the 20-year-long U.S. campaign in Afghanistan ended in tragedy, and Washington had found nothing, adding that the attempts by the U.S. military to become deeply rooted in Afghanistan were futile.
On Wednesday, he said at a meeting with teenagers in the Russian Far East city of Vladivostok to celebrate the beginning of the school year: “The U.S. military has been stationed on the territory of (Afghanistan) for 20 years. During these 20 years, they have tried to- -This can be said to not offend anyone-to civilize the local people, but in fact, in the broadest sense of the word, including the political organization of society, impose their norms and living standards.
“The only result is that those who do this — for the United States —, especially those living on the territory of Afghanistan, suffer tragedies and losses. This is a zero result, if not a negative number.”
“It is impossible to impose anything from the outside.”
The Russian leader has a record of criticizing Western countries for trying to impose their values on non-Western countries. Moscow often criticizes US policy in Afghanistan, which is now controlled by the Taliban after taking over.
Putin said:
The result is sheer tragedy, sheer loss, especially for those who do this-the United States-and people living in Afghanistan. If it is not negative, the result is zero.
The organization moved quickly before the United States withdrew on August 31, shocking Western leaders and observers.
Last week, Putin stated that Russia would not interfere in Afghanistan. Moscow has learned a lesson from the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. Moscow fought a 10-year war in Afghanistan, culminating in the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1989.
Putin also complained that Western countries were trying to resettle Afghan refugees in Central Asian countries allied with Moscow, and worried that “radical Islam” would spread to countries with which he was friendly.
At the same time, Moscow is cautiously optimistic about the new leadership in Kabul, saying it will not interfere in internal affairs. But in the country, the Taliban are still registered as a “terrorist” organization.
Read also | Biden cites the Afghan army, Trump’s role in the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal
Russia has evacuated hundreds of people from Afghanistan and plans to arrange more flights, and Putin’s special representative for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, said last week that the Moscow embassy is working to establish relations with Afghanistan’s new Taliban ruler.
Kabulov said that Russia is ready to help rebuild the Afghan economy and urges Western countries not to freeze the financial assets of the Afghan government.
“We are establishing contact (with Taliban officials), and our embassy in Kabul is actively working on this,” he told Russian state television. “We have had such contacts for a long time, and we will study them further.”
Recently, a Russian official refuted any resistance efforts against the Taliban, saying that the organization had no choice.
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