During a virtual meeting with his counterparts from more than 20 countries, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi pledged a new aid package worth US$65 million through international organisations to help Afghans find shelter, food, water and other essential needs.
The meeting was co-chaired by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his German counterpart Heiko Maas.
At the meeting, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio also expressed his concern about the formation of a new government in Afghanistan since the Taliban took power.
Also on September 8, Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of the European Council Charles Michel had a phone call, in which the two sides expressed their readiness to cooperate to stabilise the situation in Afghanistan and avoid the risk of terrorism, extremism and drug trafficking.
In a press release, the Kremlin said the two leaders also emphasised the importance of starting a pragmatic dialogue within Afghanistan to ensure the integrity of the country, taking into account the interests of all parties there.
Earlier on the same day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia has not yet planned to hold talks with the newly formed government in Afghanistan but will establish communication channels through its embassy in Kabul and continue to monitor the situation.
Regarding the invitation to the inauguration of the new government in Afghanistan scheduled for September 11 as announced by a Taliban source earlier, Chairwoman of the Russian Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko said Russian representatives will be present at the event at ambassadorial or diplomatic level.
The Taliban announced Afghanistan’s new government on September 7, naming Hassan Akhund as Acting Prime Minister.
