Putin may soon ally with the Taliban

Afghanistan wants to join the Brics community of developing countries, the Taliban extremist organization leading the country recently announced.

“BRICS is an important economic forum, and as a developing economy, Afghanistan must join such communities,” said a deputy Taliban spokesman. Hamdullah Fitrat in the country’s state media.

The Brics community, i.e. Russia, China, India, Brazil, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Ethiopia, will gather at the end of October in the Russian city of Kazan.

The meeting will discuss new members and ending dependence on the dollar.

The community has been looking to expand strongly recently. This year it was joined by Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Malaysia, for example, has also announced its desire to become a member.

Is Putin friends with the Taliban?

Accepting war-torn Afghanistan as a member would be an even stronger proof to the West that the community wants to widen the gap with the West and strengthen its geopolitical position.

Afghanistan already has trade relations with China, India and Russia. The Taliban government has drawn closer to Russia, especially since the US-led military pulled out after nearly two decades of war.

The Taliban returned to Afghanistan in 2021.

However, Russia, like no other country, has not recognized the Taliban government. According to the UN, the weakened position of women is a cause for concern.

According to media reports, Taliban representatives have repeatedly visited Moscow in recent months for trade negotiations. In June, the Russian Foreign Ministry proposed to President Vladimir Putin to remove the Taliban from the list of terrorist organizations, which would indicate Russia’s readiness to recognize the Taliban government.

Hidden riches are attractive

Although Afghanistan is very poor due to decades of wars, it has huge mineral resources.

It is estimated that more than one thousand billion dollars worth of valuable minerals such as gold, copper, lithium and iron ore are hidden.

The country’s lithium reserves are of particular interest, as lithium is a key raw material for the battery industry.

On the other hand, Afghanistan’s political instability and corruption are significant obstacles to the development of mining operations. Many international companies have been wary of investing in the country due to security risks.

Membership of the Brics countries could bring more economic stability to Afghanistan, as the Taliban would have better access to financial projects as a member. At the same time, it could promote its own trade with other member states.

A counter force to the USA and the EU

Diplomatic sources have been concerned about the expansion efforts of the Brics community, as it could increase tensions between member countries and the West, weaken international relations and cause instability.

The countries of the organization want to develop their own forums and strategies that challenge traditional international structures.

The most optimistic believe that expansion does not necessarily create two different blocs, but rather promotes a multipolar world, where global issues such as climate change, trade policy and security would move forward – but not always in a Western-led manner.