Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that Moscow believes dialogue with the Taliban must continue, stressing that Afghanistan remains critically important for regional stability. He also noted that Russian border guards are stationed in Tajikistan.

Speaking ahead of the Russia–India meeting in New Delhi, Peskov said Afghanistan is a key country in Central Asia and borders several former Soviet republics, including Tajikistan. He said Russia maintains relations with Afghanistan despite the Taliban being a de facto government, adding that it is an important country in the region.

Referring to the deployment of Russian border forces in Tajikistan, he said this underscores the need for continued engagement with the Taliban authorities. He added that Russia and India share a “full understanding” on the importance of maintaining dialogue.

His remarks came after Tajikistan’s presidential press office confirmed on Monday that two attacks launched from Afghan territory over the past week had killed five people and injured five others. Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has instructed security agencies to bolster border protection.

On Tuesday, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi told his Tajik counterpart that the Taliban was prepared to help secure the frontier and take part in a joint investigation into the incident.