Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that "other countries should not impose their values on Afghanistan" and that the reality was that the Taliban had taken control of most of the country.
He made the comment at a joint press briefing after talks in Moscow with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Russian President Vladimir Putin receives German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, August 20, 2021. /Reuters
"It is necessary to end the irresponsible policy of imposing one's external values from the outside, the desire to build democracies in other countries according to external principles, without taking into account historical, national or religious specificities and completely ignoring the traditions by which other peoples live," Putin said.
During a discussion of the current situation in Afghanistan and the consequences of the Taliban's takeover, Putin said it is necessary to prevent the collapse of the Afghan state.
He added that it is completely counterproductive to impose new forms of government on the region, as such experiments only lead to the collapse of states and the destruction of political and social systems.
Putin said that while the Taliban have announced they are working toward establishing public order and are prepared to guarantee the safety of local residents and diplomatic missions, it is important that all of this is put into practice.
"It is especially important to prevent the movement of terrorist groups into the territory of states adjacent to Afghanistan, including under the guise of refugees," he added.
Merkel in turn said that the situation in Afghanistan is very worrying and the international community must prevent the resurgence of terrorism in Afghanistan.
She also asked the Russian leader to raise the issue of humanitarian aid during future negotiations with the Taliban.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel attend a news conference following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, August 20, 2021. /Reuters
Navalny's case
The pair reaffirmed their different views of imprisoned Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's case with the German leader saying she had "demanded" Putin free Navalny during their discussions.
"We … spoke about the depressing situation of Alexei Navalny," the German leader told reporters after the talks.
"I have demanded once again from the president to release Navalny and I have made it clear that we will remain on the case," she said.
However, Putin stressed Navalny had been punished for breaking the law.
"He is convicted not of his political activity, but of a criminal offense," he said.
The U.S. on Friday also announced new sanctions against Russian individuals and entities over the alleged poisoning of Navalny. Russia repeatedly denied such accusations, saying the Navalny case is a purely domestic affair and foreign intervention is not allowed.
The logo of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project is seen on a pipe at the Chelyabinsk pipe rolling plant in Chelyabinsk, Russia, February 26, 2020. /Reuters
Nord Stream 2 pipeline
The German leader and Putin also discussed the nearly finished Nord Stream 2 pipeline that will carry natural gas from Russia to Germany. The project has angered the United States and some European countries, but the U.S. and Germany announced a deal last month to allow its completion.
Putin said on Friday there were just 15 kilometers left to complete the pipeline. He also said Russia planned to fully comply with its obligations on gas transit via Ukraine.
Merkel noted her desire to see Russia extend its transit contract to pump gas via Ukraine after the current deal expires in 2024. Putin said Russia stood ready to negotiate an extension of the deal but noted that specific details, such as transit volumes, would depend on market demand for the Russian gas in Europe.
Shortly after two leaders' comments on the pipeline, Washington announced new sanctions on one Russian vessel and two Russian individuals involved in Nord Stream 2.
(With input from agencies)