Russia on Monday expressed reservations about achieving a positive outcome from the Taliban delegation's visit to Oslo.
Russian Foreign Ministry Head of the Second Asia Department Zamir Kabulov told Sputnik that Oslo talks with the Taliban are unlikely to yield positive results. "As for Oslo, we have always stood for bilateral relations with Afghanistan, although Norwegian negotiations raise doubts," Kabulov said.
On January 22, a delegation headed by the interim Taliban government's foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, arrived in Oslo on a three-day visit to negotiate on the provision of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan as well as "political, educational and economic issues."
United States Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West has also arrived in Oslo earlier today, accompanied by the US-Europe Group envoys, the US Special Envoy for Afghan women, girls, and human rights Rina Amiri, the US Treasury and USAID officials.
The sides are expected to discuss a disastrous humanitarian situation in Afghanistan with European and US officials as well as with the Afghan civil society and the Taliban's leaders.
Afghanistan is facing a dire situation as a result of the takeover by the Taliban. In August 2021, the Taliban took over Afghanistan. The Taliban's swift ascension to power resulted in economic disorder and food shortages that pushed the country to the brink of a humanitarian crisis.
According to the UN analysis, nearly half of the country's population needs humanitarian assistance, twice as many as in 2020, with about 22 million people facing acute food insecurity.
