Afghanistan’s Taliban government announced late earlier this month that Russia has become the inaugural country to officially recognize their government— the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), a unique clerical dictatorship of its kind.

This mark a significant moment for the Taliban regime who were not formally recognized by a single nation, since toppling the US-backed republic in 2021. Their foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi called it a “courageous step” and hoped others will follow. Moscow said it would continue to support Kabul in security, counter-terrorism and combat against drug crime.

In April this year, Russia suspended its two decades long designation of Taliban as terrorist organization hoping it will boost their cooperation in security sector particularly against the regional chapter of Islamic State that attacked a concert hall near Moscow last year and killed 144 people. Four months after the attack, Russian President Putin called Taliban “allies” in the fight against terrorism at SCO summit in Astana and now his country has become the first to give official recognition to their government.

Interestingly, just three decades ago, Russia’s predecessor, the former Soviet Union, was famously fought and forced to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan by Afghan Mujahideen– many of whom or their second bread now constitute Taliban leadership, and their rank and file.

Despite their complex past, this newfound rapprochement raises questions on how the two parties have reached this convergence? The answer is not simple. To put things in perspective, it needs assessment of the international, regional and domestic factors.

Several years before the Taliban takeover of Kabul, the comrades in Moscow started to establish contacts with........

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