Putin: Afghanistan should get int'l financial help

Russian President Vladimir Putin called Thursday for Afghanistan to be given international help to solve its economic problems and for the U.S. and its allies to unfreeze Afghan assets.

Speaking at the Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi, Vladimer Putin said help is needed to help Afghanistan "restore its economy," particularly as without this they are unlikely to crack down on the drugs being produced in the country.

The comments follow Russia hosting talks on Afghanistan on Wednesday involving senior representatives of the Taliban and neighboring nations, a round of diplomacy that underlined Moscow's clout in Central Asia.

Russia had worked for years to establish contacts with the Taliban, even though it designated the group a terror organization in 2003 and never took it off the list. Any contact with such groups is punishable under Russian law, but the Foreign Ministry has responded to questions about the apparent contradiction by saying its exchanges with the Taliban are essential for helping stabilize Afghanistan.

Unlike many other countries, Russia hasn't evacuated its embassy in Kabul and its ambassador has maintained regular contacts with the Taliban since they took over the Afghan capital of Kabul in August.

Also asked at the Valdai conference about his view of U.S.-Russian relations following his June's summit with President Joe Biden in Geneva, Putin said that Moscow and Washington have launched consultations on arms control and cyber security in line with their agreements.

He noted that they "are on the right track," but continued that there has also been some rollback on certain issues that he didn't specify.

Touching on Ukraine, Putin said that Russia is concerned about its growing military ties with the U.S. and its NATO allies.

"Formal membership in NATO may not take place, but military development of the territory is taking place and it really creates threat for the Russian Federation and we are acknowledging it," Putin said.

Russia and Ukraine have remained in a tug-of-war after Moscow's 2014 annexation of Ukrainian Crimean Peninsula and support for a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine.

IMAGE: AP