The Taliban is calling for peace in Ukraine

Afghanistan’s Taliban government is the latest to issue a statement about Russia and Ukraine.

“The Islamic Emirate calls for restraint by both parties,” said the ministry of foreign affairs on Feb. 25. “All sides need to desist from taking positions that could intensify violence.”

Russia’s history with the Taliban

The Taliban highlighted its “diplomatic neutrality” and stressed the need to resolve the crisis through “dialogue and peaceful means.” A few months ago, the Taliban took over Afghanistan at gunpoint.

Russia has positioned itself as an ally of the new Afghanistan regime, and was among the Taliban’s most visible supporters.

While most countries were worried about evacuating their citizens and diplomatic staff from Afghanistan, Moscow’s UN representative Vassily Nebenzia spoke of a bright future of national reconciliation, with law and order returning to the streets and of “the ending of many years of bloodshed.”

Russia has a long and complicated past with Afghanistan, with the 1979 Soviet invasion and subsequent lengthy conflict ultimately ending with the Taliban’s first takeover in 1996.