Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk arrived in Kabul on Thursday accompanied by a delegation of 70 Russian business leaders for economic talks with the Taliban administration, Afghan officials confirmed. Overchuk was received with a guard of honour upon arrival.
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Overchuk held meetings with Taliban Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar, and Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
According to an Afghan government statement posted on X, Baradar outlined Afghanistan’s economic potential to the Russian delegation, citing the country’s “strategic location, abundant resources and a workforce of 24 million people.”
Baradar invited Russian firms to invest in agriculture, mining, road and railway construction, factory development, and the creation of a special economic zone. He also expressed interest in expanding exports of Afghan agricultural products to Russia.
The deputy prime minister further requested that Russia “provide the necessary facilities for Afghan products to be supplied to Russian markets and to cooperate in reducing transport and transit costs.”
Russian news agencies quoted Overchuk as stating that the delegation represents companies already active in Afghanistan, adding that “many others want to start operating in this country.” He noted the visiting firms specialize in transport, logistics, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals, and that Afghan officials have shown interest in Russian chemical fertilizers as well as “building fertiliser production plants on Afghan soil.”
Overchuk estimated that bilateral trade between Russia and Afghanistan more than doubled in the first eight months of 2026, surpassing $349 million.
Russia formally recognized the Taliban government in July 2025, remaining the only state to have taken such a step since the group seized power in August 2021 following the U.S. withdrawal. While no other country has granted formal recognition, the Taliban authorities have engaged in high-level talks with numerous nations and established specific diplomatic and economic ties with several governments.