A senior Russian business representative has proposed the introduction of a visa-free regime between Russia and Afghanistan, arguing that the move would boost trade, investment and tourism between the two countries.

Rustam Khabibullin, head of the Russian Business Center in Afghanistan, announced the proposal ahead of the upcoming St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2026.

According to Khabibullin, relations between Moscow and Kabul have been expanding rapidly, making the simplification of travel procedures a logical next step for strengthening bilateral ties.

He pointed to several recent developments in Russia-Afghanistan relations, including the presentation of credentials by Afghanistan’s ambassador to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the first meeting of a bilateral intergovernmental commission at the Russia-Islamic World Forum, and the signing of a military-technical cooperation agreement during an international security forum held under the auspices of Russia’s Security Council.

Khabibullin said the military-technical agreement includes plans to service and restore Russian-made equipment in Afghanistan. He noted that Afghanistan continues to operate a large number of Russian vehicles and aircraft, including Mi-17 helicopters and KamAZ trucks.

Under the agreement, service centers and spare-parts warehouses are expected to be restored in Afghanistan, while local specialists will receive technical training to support maintenance and repair work.

The Russian business official also highlighted the growing presence of Russian companies in Afghanistan’s energy and mining sectors, saying firms are already involved in oil production, refining and mineral extraction projects.

Khabibullin argued that a visa-free regime would significantly strengthen economic cooperation by making it easier for businesspeople, investors and tourists to travel between the two countries. He said such a move could help open new markets and create additional opportunities for trade and investment.

He further claimed that Russia maintains substantial influence in Afghanistan and said closer economic engagement would benefit both sides, particularly Russian regions such as Tatarstan, which hosts a number of major export-oriented companies.

The proposal comes as Russia and Afghanistan continue to deepen diplomatic and economic ties following Moscow’s formal recognition of the IEA-led government last year and the recent expansion of cooperation in trade, infrastructure and security sectors.

A recently signed military-technical cooperation agreement between Russia and Afghanistan primarily aims to facilitate the repair and restoration of Russian and Soviet-made military equipment in Afghanistan, Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, has said.

Speaking to the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, Kabulov said Afghan authorities are particularly interested in restoring military hardware of Russian origin.

“Afghan partners are primarily interested in the repair and restoration of various Russian-made military equipment,” Kabulov said.

The agreement was signed on May 27 on the sidelines of the International Security Forum held in Russia’s Moscow Region from May 26 to 29. Kabulov, who serves as an adviser to the Russian foreign minister and special presidential envoy for Afghanistan, described the document as a framework agreement that could open the door to broader military cooperation in the future.

According to Kabulov, the framework nature of the agreement provides a legal basis for the conclusion of future contracts, including potential deals involving the supply of other military systems.

The Afghan Ministry of Defense announced on May 31 that practical work related to the implementation of the agreement would begin in the coming days.

The agreement marks another step in the growing ties between Moscow and the Islamic Emirate. In April 2024, Russia’s Supreme Court suspended the ban on the Islamic Emirate’s activities in the country, and in July 2025 Moscow formally recognized the IEA-led government of Afghanistan.

Fasihuddin Fitrat, Chief of Army Staff of the Islamic Emirate, has said that Afghanistan has endured decades of devastation due to foreign intervention and internal conflicts.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the laying of the foundation stone for a mosque in Baharak district of Badakhshan province, Fitrat said the country had suffered the consequences of war for more than four decades, with both external aggression and domestic strife contributing to widespread destruction.

“Our homeland has been engulfed in war for four and a half decades. At times, these wars were imposed on us by the enemies of the country, and at other times, internal conflicts claimed the lives of our people,” he said. “Our enemies divided and fragmented our nation.”

Fitrat argued that foreign actors had, at various stages of Afghanistan’s history, fueled divisions among Afghans and weakened national solidarity, resulting in prolonged conflict and significant human losses.

The senior military official also criticized the policies of some neighboring countries, saying pressure on Afghanistan had increased since the Islamic Emirate returned to power in 2021. He pointed in particular to the ongoing deportation of Afghan migrants from neighboring states.

According to Fitrat, economic sanctions imposed on Afghanistan have compounded the country’s challenges, while large numbers of Afghan migrants continue to be returned from neighboring countries on a daily basis.

“With the return of the Islamic Emirate, even some of our neighbors adopted hostile policies and decided to send Afghan migrants back to their homeland,” he said. “Every day, waves of migrants are moving toward Afghanistan.”

His remarks come as Iran and Pakistan continue large-scale deportations of Afghan migrants, a process that has drawn concern from international humanitarian organizations. Aid agencies have repeatedly warned that the mass return of migrants is placing additional strain on Afghanistan’s fragile economy and limited humanitarian resources.