Khalilzad: “US-led” Afghanistan War Not Comparable to Ukraine Conflict

DID Press: Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. envoy on Afghanistan peace process, dismissed comparisons between Afghanistan and Ukrainian conflicts, emphasizing that the two wars are fundamentally different. Writing on X (formerly Twitter), Khalilzad explained that Afghanistan war was driven by direct U.S. military involvement, forcing Washington to negotiate with the Taliban, whereas Ukrainians are fighting directly on their own soil against Russian forces.

He also rejected claims that the Afghan government was sidelined during peace talks, noting early U.S.-facilitated diplomacy between Kabul and the Taliban. Khalilzad attributed the fall of the Afghan Republic to internal failures and leadership incompetence, rather than U.S. negligence.

His comments came after a Wall Street Journal report on a 28-point plan under the Trump administration for ending the Ukraine war, highlighting potential U.S.-Russia talks. Analysts warned that excluding key stakeholders could produce outcomes similar to the Doha process in Afghanistan, with serious repercussions for Ukraine and Europe.