Aug 22, 2021: The Kremlin said in a statement that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkey’s Tayyip Erdogan discussed the situation in Afghanistan during a telephone call and agreed to strengthen bilateral ties on Afghan issues.

The Kremlin said Putin and his Turkish counterpart President Erdogan, emphasized priorities in the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking. Taliban militants took control of Kabul last weekend, sending thousands of civilians and Afghan military allies fleeing for safety. 

President Erdogan expressed hope for a soft change in the country, saying it was important that the Taliban did not repeat past mistakes and keep its promises ethnically comprehensive.

“The new government in Afghanistan must be inclusive and representative of the diversity of the Afghan people,” Erdogan told Putin, according to a post-call reading.

Afghanistan has been in turmoil since the Taliban took control of the Afghan capital and country on August 15 in the wake of the withdrawal of US and NATO forces after a 20 year-long military campaign.

Erdogan and Putin also exchanged condolences over the crash of a Russian firefighting plane in southern Turkey in which two Russians and three Turks were killed.

The Turkish President highlighted the involvement of Russian pilots in the fight against forest fires in the country and thanked Putin for the assistance provided.

On Wednesday, Erdogan said security at Kabul airport was still to be maintained after Taliban fighters seized control of the Afghan capital.

Last week, China said it was ready to deepen “friendly and cooperative” relations with Afghanistan once the Taliban took control of the country.