Putin's bold move: Reshaping ties with the Taliban and HTS
Vladimir Putin has signed a law allowing the removal of the Taliban and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham from the list of terrorist organisations. This is a step towards changing relations with these groups.
On 28th December, Putin signed a law permitting the Russian government to remove organisations from the Russian list of terrorist organisations. This decision creates a legal basis for altering relations with these groups.
New relations with the Taliban and HTS
The signed decree enables the Russian government to exclude organisations from the terrorist list. This concerns the "Taliban", which governs Afghanistan, and HTS, which recently seized power in Syria. This move is part of Russia's strategy to strengthen ties with these groups.
Russian "war bloggers" claim that such actions will contribute to political and economic rapprochement between Russia and the Taliban, including the opening of new trade routes through Afghanistan. The decree also creates opportunities for cooperation between Russia and the interim Syrian government led by HTS. Analysts suggest that this will allow Russia to maintain military bases in Syria and ensure their security.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) had already noted earlier that Russian authorities are preparing legal mechanisms aimed at removing the Taliban from the list, and Putin's decree is likely one of the final steps in this process.
Consequences for international policy
Russia's decision to remove the "Taliban" and HTS from the list of terrorist organisations may have wide implications for international policy. It may affect Russia's relations with other countries and the situation in the regions controlled by these groups.
HTS is considered the strongest military faction of the Syrian opposition, currently de facto controlling Syria.
