Russian, Chinese leaders over phone discuss situation in Afghanistan

MOSCOW

Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the recent developments in Afghanistan with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a phone talk on Wednesday, the Kremlin said.

The two leaders expressed readiness to step up efforts to combat the threats of terrorism and drug trafficking emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, the Kremlin said in a statement on its official website.

"The importance of establishing peace in this country as soon as possible and preventing the spread of instability to neighboring regions was emphasized. To do this, it is intended to use at maximum the potential of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization," it said.

Putin and Xi also agreed to intensify bilateral contacts and close coordination on the issues, primarily through the foreign ministries, it added.

The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan after taking Kabul on Aug. 15, forcing President Ashraf Ghani and other top officials to leave the country.

Following the departure of Ghani, former President Hamid Karzai, veteran politician Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, and top peace negotiator Abdullah Abdullah formed a council with an aim to ensure a smooth transfer of power.

The swift Taliban takeover led thousands of people to try to leave Afghanistan through Kabul's airport, with the Aug. 31 deadline looming.​​​​​​​