Russia has become the first country in the world to formally recognize Afghanistan's Taliban government. This improves the radical group's standing on the world stage, and puts pressure on the West to follow suit.

Russia has become the first country to formally recognize the Taliban’s government in Afghanistan since it seized power in 2021, after Moscow removed the group from its list of outlawed organizations.

Russia said on Thursday it had accepted the credentials of a new ambassador of Afghanistan, making it the first nation to recognise the Taliban government of the country.