Muttaqi urges Russia-Afghanistan ties to become economic partnership

Key Points

• Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi has called for closer economic ties with Russia.
• Muttaqi urged both countries to turn their existing political understanding into a practical economic partnership.
• Discussions in Moscow covered trade, transit, regional connectivity, energy, mining and banking facilities.
• Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said Moscow was ready to expand economic cooperation with Afghanistan.
• Overchuk said conditions were favourable for launching practical joint projects.
• Russia highlighted significant growth in bilateral trade during the previous year.
• The talks also addressed transportation, energy and wider economic cooperation.
• Afghanistan welcomed what it described as a positive trajectory in political relations with Russia.
• The Afghan side also called for greater Russian investment and improved payment mechanisms.

Mosco News Daily (MND) October 6, 2026 – Afghanistan is seeking to deepen its economic relationship with Russia by moving beyond political engagement towards practical cooperation in trade, transit, energy, mining and investment. Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi raised the proposal during a meeting with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk in Moscow, according to a statement from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported by Pajhwok Afghan News. Muttaqi argued that the existing political understanding between Kabul and Moscow should be translated into concrete economic cooperation. Overchuk, meanwhile, said Russia was ready to expand economic engagement and that conditions were favourable for launching practical joint projects.

What did Muttaqi discuss with Russia’s deputy prime minister?

According to the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement cited by Pajhwok Afghan News, Muttaqi and Overchuk discussed bilateral political relations as well as opportunities to broaden economic, trade, transit and energy cooperation.

The meeting focused on the practical areas where Afghanistan and Russia could increase their economic engagement. These included expanding bilateral trade, improving transit and regional connectivity, encouraging Russian investment in Afghanistan, and developing cooperation in energy and mining.

Muttaqi also raised the issue of banking and payment facilities. Improved financial mechanisms could be important for businesses seeking to conduct trade between the two countries, particularly where cross-border transactions and investment require reliable payment channels.

Pajhwok Afghan News reported that Muttaqi welcomed the positive direction of political relations between Afghanistan and Russia. He also thanked the Russian leadership for what he described as its positive policy towards Afghanistan.

The Afghan foreign minister’s central message was that political understanding should not remain separate from economic relations. Instead, Kabul wants the relationship to produce practical commercial and investment activity.

Why does Afghanistan want political ties with Russia to become economic cooperation?

The proposal reflects Afghanistan’s interest in converting diplomatic and political engagement into trade, investment and infrastructure-related activity.

Muttaqi said the existing political understanding between the two countries should be transformed into a practical economic partnership. In this context, Afghanistan identified several areas where it wants greater Russian involvement.

Trade is one of the main areas. The Afghan side wants bilateral commercial activity to increase, while also seeking stronger transit links that could improve regional connectivity.

Energy and mining were also highlighted. Afghanistan has sought economic cooperation in sectors that require investment and infrastructure, and the discussions with the Russian side included both areas.

Banking and payment facilities were another part of the talks. For increased trade and investment to develop, companies and financial institutions need mechanisms through which payments can be processed efficiently.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement, as reported by Pajhwok, therefore presented the meeting as part of a wider effort to expand the relationship beyond political contacts.

What did Alexei Overchuk say about Russia’s economic cooperation with Afghanistan?

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk expressed readiness to expand economic cooperation with Afghanistan, according to the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement.

Overchuk said conditions were favourable for the two countries to begin practical joint projects. His comments indicate that Moscow sees scope for moving from discussions about bilateral relations towards specific economic activities.

According to Pajhwok Afghan News, Overchuk also stressed the importance of expanding cooperation in transit, transportation and energy, alongside other sectors.

His comments were significant in the context of the Afghan proposal because they showed that the Russian side was also presenting economic cooperation as an area for further development.

Rather than limiting the discussion to diplomatic relations, the meeting considered sectors involving trade routes, transport infrastructure and energy cooperation.

Overchuk also referred to what he described as significant growth in bilateral trade during the previous year. He expressed hope that practical economic cooperation would continue to expand in the near future.

The Russian position, as presented in the Afghan ministry’s account, was therefore broadly aligned with Kabul’s call for a stronger economic component to the relationship.

Which sectors could become priorities for Afghanistan and Russia?

Several sectors were specifically identified during the discussions.

Could trade become a larger part of the bilateral relationship?

Trade was among the central subjects discussed by Muttaqi and Overchuk.

Afghanistan is seeking increased commercial exchanges with Russia, while Moscow has pointed to growth in bilateral trade during the previous year.

The two sides’ statements indicate an intention to build on that growth rather than treat it as a temporary development. The emphasis on practical economic cooperation suggests that both governments are considering ways to increase commercial activity further.

Could transit and transportation cooperation expand?

Transit and transportation were repeatedly identified as areas for cooperation.

Afghanistan’s geographical position makes regional connectivity an important part of its economic relationships. Improved transit arrangements can potentially facilitate the movement of goods between markets, although the meeting statement did not provide details of particular routes or infrastructure projects.

Overchuk specifically stressed cooperation in transit and transportation, while Muttaqi called for greater regional connectivity.

The discussion therefore placed transport links alongside trade as a key component of the proposed economic partnership.

What role could energy and mining play?

Energy and mining were also included in the discussions.

Muttaqi called for cooperation in both sectors and greater Russian investment in Afghanistan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement did not identify individual mining projects or specific energy facilities.

Overchuk similarly referred to energy cooperation as one of the areas where the two countries could expand their relationship.

The available account therefore establishes these sectors as areas under discussion but does not confirm that specific projects have yet been agreed.

Why were banking and payment facilities discussed?

Financial and payment mechanisms were another issue raised by Muttaqi.

The Afghan foreign minister called for improved banking and payment facilities as part of broader economic cooperation.

Such facilities are directly relevant to cross-border commerce because importers, exporters and investors require workable systems for settling transactions.

However, neither the Afghan ministry statement nor the Pajhwok report cited here announced a particular banking agreement or payment system resulting from the meeting.

The discussion should therefore be understood as a request to improve the financial infrastructure supporting bilateral economic activity, rather than as confirmation of a completed agreement.

What does Russia’s reference to growing trade indicate?

Overchuk referred to significant growth in bilateral trade during the previous year and expressed hope that practical economic cooperation would expand further.

That reference provided an economic context for the discussions in Moscow.

The two governments are therefore presenting existing trade growth as a basis on which additional cooperation could be developed.

The meeting did not, however, provide a detailed breakdown of the trade figures, the individual products responsible for the increase, or the precise value of bilateral trade.

Those details would be required to assess the scale and composition of the reported growth more fully.

What is the wider significance of the Moscow meeting?

The meeting demonstrates that Afghanistan and Russia are seeking to strengthen the economic dimension of their bilateral relationship alongside their political engagement.

For Afghanistan, the focus is on converting political understanding into areas such as trade, investment, transit, energy and mining. For Russia, the emphasis described in the Afghan account includes practical joint projects and expanded cooperation in transportation, transit and energy.

The talks also indicate that both sides see economic connectivity as an important element of their relationship.

At the same time, the meeting itself does not establish that major projects have been finalised. Overchuk’s comments concerned Russia’s readiness to expand cooperation and the favourable conditions for launching joint projects, while Muttaqi presented proposals for strengthening economic engagement.

The distinction between expressing readiness and formally agreeing projects remains important.

What did Afghanistan say about its political relationship with Russia?

Muttaqi welcomed what he described as the positive trajectory of Afghanistan-Russia political relations.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement cited by Pajhwok, he also thanked Russia’s leadership for its positive policy towards Afghanistan.

The political relationship formed the backdrop to the economic discussions. Muttaqi’s argument was that the existing political understanding should now be converted into practical economic cooperation.

This suggests that Kabul views the current political relationship as a platform for developing wider commercial and investment links.

Russia’s participation in the economic discussions similarly indicates that Moscow is considering the relationship through both political and economic channels.

What could the proposed economic partnership mean for regional connectivity?

The emphasis on transit, transportation and regional connectivity places the proposed cooperation within a broader economic context.

Afghanistan’s trade relationships are closely linked to its ability to connect with surrounding markets. Increased cooperation in transport and transit could therefore have implications for the movement of goods and the development of commercial links.

However, the statements released after the Moscow meeting did not specify new transport corridors, construction contracts or timelines.

The immediate development is therefore the expression of political support for expanded cooperation, rather than confirmation of a completed regional connectivity project.

What is known about the outcome of the Moscow discussions?

The reported outcome is a shared interest in expanding economic cooperation.

Muttaqi called for greater trade, transit, investment, energy and mining cooperation, together with better banking and payment facilities. Overchuk responded by expressing Russia’s readiness to expand economic engagement and stating that conditions were favourable for practical joint projects.

Both sides also discussed transportation and regional connectivity.

The available information does not state that a specific investment agreement, major infrastructure contract or new financial arrangement was signed during the meeting.

That means the development should currently be viewed as a diplomatic and economic initiative aimed at identifying and advancing areas for future cooperation.

What is the background to Afghanistan-Russia economic relations?

Afghanistan and Russia have maintained political and economic contacts despite the wider changes in Afghanistan’s international position.

The latest meeting comes against a backdrop in which Kabul has sought stronger economic relationships with regional and international partners. Russia, meanwhile, has maintained engagement with Afghanistan and has expressed interest in practical economic cooperation.

The discussions in Moscow place particular emphasis on sectors that require sustained commercial engagement, including trade, transportation, energy and mining.

According to the account released by the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and reported by Pajhwok Afghan News, bilateral trade had grown significantly during the previous year. The Russian side sees that growth as a basis for further cooperation.

The latest discussions therefore build on an existing relationship rather than representing the beginning of contact between the two countries.

At this stage, however, the publicly reported information does not establish a detailed timetable for individual projects. Further negotiations would be needed to determine the scope, financing and implementation of any projects arising from the discussions.

What could the development mean for Afghan businesses and traders?

For Afghan businesses, importers, exporters and traders, deeper economic cooperation with Russia could create opportunities if the proposals discussed by the two governments lead to concrete agreements.

Greater trade cooperation could support increased commercial exchanges, while improved transit arrangements could affect the movement of goods. Investment in energy and mining could also become relevant to businesses operating in or supplying those sectors.

Improved banking and payment facilities could be particularly important for companies involved in cross-border transactions.

However, these potential effects depend on whether the discussions result in practical agreements and functioning commercial mechanisms. The meeting itself does not confirm that such changes have already taken place.

What is the prediction for Afghanistan’s economic relationship with Russia?

The immediate outlook is for Afghanistan and Russia to continue exploring ways to expand economic cooperation, particularly in trade, transit, transportation, energy, mining and investment.

For Afghan businesses, traders and potential investors, the most important development will be whether the political understanding described by Muttaqi produces specific projects, investment commitments and workable payment arrangements.

Russia’s stated readiness to pursue practical joint projects provides a basis for further discussions, while the reported growth in bilateral trade gives both sides an existing commercial relationship on which to build.

The extent of any future economic impact will depend on the implementation of agreements, the development of transit and financial mechanisms, and the ability of businesses in both countries to participate in expanded trade and investment.

For now, the Moscow meeting represents a stated intention by Afghanistan and Russia to move their relationship further towards practical economic cooperation, rather than confirmation that all proposed projects have already been agreed or implemented.