Russian Deputy PM in Kabul With 70-Member Delegation to Expand Trade With the Taliban
Moscow has sat down for talks with Afghanistan's Taliban administration to explore new possibilities for business deals in sectors such as transport, logistics, agriculture and pharmaceuticals.
To that end, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk arrived in Kabul on Thursday with a 70-member business delegation.
Afghan officials said Overchuk was formally welcomed with a guard of honour on arrival in Kabul.
During the visit, Overchuk met Taliban Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar and Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
According to Overchuk's figures, bilateral trade between Russia and Afghanistan more than doubled in the first eight months of 2026 alone, exceeding 349 million dollars.
Russian media reported that the visiting delegation includes representatives of companies that, according to Overchuk, are already doing business in Afghanistan.
Beyond them, many more Russian firms are interested in starting operations in the country. The delegation's firms are linked to the transport, logistics, agriculture and pharmaceutical sectors.
The Afghan government has also expressed interest in importing Russian chemical fertiliser and in setting up a fertiliser production plant on Afghan soil.
A statement published by the Afghan government on social media platform X said that at the meeting, Abdul Ghani Baradar presented the country's economic development and promising investment areas to the Russian delegation.
Baradar specially mentioned Afghanistan's strategic geographic location, its vast natural resources and its 24 million-strong workforce.
At the meeting, Baradar invited Russian firms to invest in agriculture, mineral resources, road and rail infrastructure construction and industrial plants.
He also proposed building special economic zones in the country and expressed interest in increasing exports of Afghan agricultural products to the Russian market.
Baradar sought Moscow's cooperation in ensuring the facilities Afghan products need to enter the Russian market and in reducing transport and goods transit costs.
In context, the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021 after the withdrawal of US troops. Then, in July 2025, Russia became the first and so far the only country to formally recognise the Taliban government.
Although no other state has yet given formal recognition, the Taliban authorities are holding high-level dialogue with various countries and have built diplomatic and economic relations with several governments.
