Key Facts
• October 8: Meeting held in Moscow on Afghanistan issues.
• Trump demanded the return of Bagram Air Base from the Taliban in September.
• Bagram Air Base, near Kabul, was used by the U.S. after 9/11 and seized by the Taliban in 2021.
• 10 countries, including Russia, China, India, Pakistan, and Central Asian nations, participated.
• Russian Foreign Ministry opposed foreign military infrastructure in Afghanistan or nearby regions.
• Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi attended the meeting for the first time.
• Taliban emphasized Afghanistan’s independence and rejection of foreign military presence.
• Trump warned of “bad consequences” if the Taliban refused his demand.
Summary
China, Russia, and other neighboring nations have united in opposition to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand for the Taliban to return control of Afghanistan’s Bagram Air Base. The base, located near Kabul, was used by the U.S. military after the 9/11 attacks and fell under Taliban control following the U.S. withdrawal in 2021. During a Moscow meeting on October 8, representatives from 10 countries, including Russia, China, India, and Pakistan, issued a joint statement rejecting any attempts to establish foreign military infrastructure in Afghanistan or its surrounding regions. The statement indirectly criticized Trump’s demand, aligning with the Taliban’s stance. Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, attending the meeting for the first time, reiterated Afghanistan’s independence and historical rejection of foreign military presence. Trump’s September warning of “bad consequences” if the Taliban refused his request was also noted. The meeting marked the seventh discussion on Afghanistan’s stability and regional peace.
