Rustam Khabibulin, Head of the Russian Trade Center in Afghanistan, has announced a proposal to abolish the visa regime between Russia and Afghanistan, stating that such a move could pave the way for further economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

According to the Russian media outlet Info Kazan, Khabibulin made the remarks ahead of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, noting that relations between Moscow and Kabul have entered a new phase in recent months and that facilitating travel for citizens could help strengthen these ties.

Referring to the growing relationship between Russia and the Taliban-led government, he highlighted several important diplomatic and economic developments, including the acceptance of the Afghan ambassador’s credentials by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the first meeting of the Joint Cooperation Commission in Kazan, and the signing of a military-technical cooperation agreement between the two sides.

According to Khabibulin, the agreement includes technical support for Russian-made equipment in Afghanistan, including Mi-17 helicopters and KamAZ trucks. The establishment of service centers, the supply of spare parts, and the training of Afghan technical personnel are also part of the cooperation framework.

The Head of the Russian Trade Center further emphasized that several Russian companies are active in Afghanistan’s oil, refining, and natural resource extraction sectors. He noted that removing visa restrictions could increase business travel, expand investments, and create new economic opportunities.

He added that the proposal is of particular importance to the Republic of Tatarstan, where many Russian export-oriented companies are based and stand to benefit from stronger economic relations with Afghanistan.

The proposal comes as Russia has intensified efforts in recent months to expand its engagement with the Taliban in the economic, commercial, and security spheres—a trend that observers believe could lead to deeper bilateral cooperation in the future.