Russian Deputy Prime Minister to Visit Kabul for Economic Talks

DID Press: Alexei Overchuk, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister, is scheduled to visit Kabul on Thursday to discuss expanding trade relations, investment and economic cooperation between Russia and Afghanistan.

Hafiz Ahmad Zia Takal, deputy spokesman for the Taliban government, said the visit would focus on strengthening economic and trade ties, exploring investment opportunities and discussing the implementation of joint projects between the two countries.

The announcement follows remarks last month by Zamir Kabulov, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy for Afghanistan, who said a high-level Russian delegation led by Overchuk would visit Afghanistan.

On October 16, Kabulov said trade between Russia and Afghanistan had doubled in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, although he noted that the overall volume of trade between the two countries remained relatively limited.

Earlier this month, Overchuk met with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban government’s foreign minister, in Moscow. The discussions covered bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, investment and transport connectivity, including projects linked to the International North–South Transport Corridor.