Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah said in a series of tweets Thursday that he had a virtual video meeting with the Republic’s talks team and listened to their report back on progress and challenges.

Abdullah said he “instructed them to continue their efforts for peace.”

“I reiterated the Republic’s commitment for peace, and finding a political settlement for the current crisis.

“I also instructed the team to focus on ceasefire, reduction of violence, and an end to the targeted killings as the priorities of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,” he said.

Around the same time as Abdullah issued his tweets, the Taliban’s spokesman Mohammad Naeem also issued a series of tweets and said a delegation from the group, led by Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, arrived in Russia on Wednesday.

He said the special representative of the Russian President, Zamir Kabulov, and other officials met with Stanikzai.

According to him, topics concerning the full implementation of the Doha agreement were discussed during the meeting.

However, members of the Republic’s peace negotiating team said on Wednesday the Taliban is not ready for a ceasefire and every time the topic turns to their request for an Islamic Emirate, the group’s members walk away from the negotiating table.

The Republic’s talks team members also said the Taliban team has not been interested in discussing the agenda for the last ten days.

“Whenever there is a discussion about the issues they raise, they shrug their shoulders and they have repeatedly run away from the negotiating table,” said Farooq Majrooh, a member of the Afghan Republic’s team.

“They want to be superior, to use war and terror as a means, and to have the upper hand in this matter,” said Habiba Surabi, another member of the negotiating team.

The Taliban have in the past stated they will only discuss a ceasefire once a ruling system for Afghanistan has been determined.