Russia has become the first nation to recognize the Taliban government of Afghanistan since it took power in 2021, announcing on Thursday it has accepted an ambassador from the Islamist group.

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia on Thursday became 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 has become the first country to formally recognize the Taliban rule in Afghanistan. Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry announced on X Thursday that the Russian Foreign Ministry has decided to recognize the Taliban after a meeting between Russian ambassador Dmitry Zhirnov and IEA-Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi.