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Biden tackles issue of bounties on US troops in Afghanistan with Putin
US President Joe Biden spoke on the phone on Tuesday night with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and raised the issue of bounties on US troops in Afghanistan.
This was Biden’s first discussion with Putin since his inauguration as US president.
According to VOA, Biden also expressed his concerns over the arrest of dissident Alexei Navalny, Moscow’s cyber-espionage campaign, and the bounties.
Two senior Biden administration officials told VOA that Biden’s stance appeared to mark another sharp break with that of former President Donald Trump, who often voiced delight at his warm relations with the Kremlin leader.
At the same time, according to US accounts of the call, Biden told Putin that Russia and the United States should complete a five-year extension of their nuclear arms control treaty before it expires in early February.
VOA reported that it was not immediately known how Putin responded to Biden raising contentious issues between the two countries.
But Biden told reporters Monday that despite disagreements with Moscow, he felt the US and Russia could both “operate in the mutual self-interest of our countries as a New START agreement and make it clear to Russia that we are very concerned about their behavior, whether it’s Navalny, whether it’s SolarWinds or reports of bounties on heads of Americans in Afghanistan.”
Shortly before his call with Putin, Biden spoke to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, reassuring him of the United States’s commitment to the Alliance.
During his White House tenure, Trump often quarreled with NATO allies, complaining they were not contributing enough money for their mutual defense.
The former president was often deferential to Putin, rejecting claims in the US from opposition Democrats that Russia had interfered in the 2016 US presidential election to help him win – a years-long saga that Trump derisively dismissed as “the Russia hoax.”
Last year, Trump also questioned whether Russia was involved in the hack of software manufactured by the US company SolarWinds that breached files at the departments of Commerce, Treasury and Energy.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Russia was “pretty clearly” behind the cyberattack, but Trump claimed the attack was being overplayed by the US media and that perhaps China was responsible, VOA reported.
Before taking office, Biden said, “I will not stand idly by in the face of cyber assaults on our nation.”
Trump had also dismissed claims that Russia offered the Taliban bounties to kill US soldiers in Afghanistan, another issue Biden pressed Putin on.
Despite his conciliatory approach to Russia, Trump imposed sanctions on the country, Russian companies and business leaders over various issues, including Moscow’s involvement in Ukraine and attacks on dissidents.
The Biden-Putin call followed pro-Navalny protests in more than 100 Russian cities last weekend, with more than 3,700 people arrested across Russia.
Navalny is an anti-corruption campaigner and Putin’s fiercest critic. He was arrested January 17 as he returned to Russia from Germany, where he had been recovering for nearly five months after a nerve-agent poisoning he claims was carried out by Russian agents, an accusation the Kremlin has rejected.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announced on Tuesday the release of American citizen Dennis Coyle from prison.
According to the ministry, Coyle’s mother had written to the leader of the Islamic Emirate demanding amnesty and the release of her son on the occasion of Eid. The Supreme Court considered time served sufficient and decided to release him.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this action was carried out on the basis of humanitarianism and good faith, and it believes that such measures can strengthen trust between countries. The ministry also expressed hope that both countries, in the future, can find solutions to remaining issues through mutual understanding and constructive dialogue.
The Islamic Emirate also expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the United Arab Emirates in this matter.
Separately, for Coyle’s release, an American delegation, including Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, met on Tuesday with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate.
The meeting was also attended by Saif Mohammed Al-Ketbi, Ambassador of the UAE in Kabul, and a member of the prisoner’s family.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Muttaqi stated that the Islamic Emirate has not detained any citizen of any country to achieve political objectives; rather, detentions were the result of legal violations, and individuals were released after completing judicial procedures.
At the meeting, Khalilzad praised the action of the Islamic Emirate and emphasized the importance of continuing discussions on all issues between the two countries, expressing hope for further progress in the future.
Muttaqi also stressed that Kabul and the UAE should provide standard consular services to their citizens, and that the Afghan government is fully prepared in this regard.
He thanked Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, for their constructive role in facilitating the release of the prisoner and referred to the UAE as a close friend of Afghanistan.
Earlier, Muttaqi had also praised the role of the State of Qatar in facilitating information exchange between the Islamic Emirate and the prisoner’s family.
Additionally, the UAE ambassador expressed his country’s readiness to play a role in humanitarian institutions and called such developments beneficial for everyone.
The United Kingdom has announced an additional £3 million (AFN 257 million) in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, aimed at supporting people affected by natural disasters and other shocks.
Richard Lindsay, in a post on X, said the funding will be used to provide essential nutrition supplies and related support to vulnerable populations.
The new allocation brings the UK’s total bilateral assistance to Afghanistan for the current financial year to £154 million (AFN 13.18 billion).
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Around 2.3 million tourists visited Afghanistan’s recreational areas during Eid: Ghufran
Khubaib Ghufran, spokesperson for the Ministry of Information and Culture, announced on Tuesday that over Eid al-Fitr holidays approximately 2.3 million domestic and foreign tourists visited the country’s recreational areas and natural attractions.
Ghufran said this level of tourist presence shows a significant increase compared to previous years and indicates growth and strengthening of the tourism sector.
Meanwhile, officials from the ministry’s departments, while emphasizing public cooperation in preserving the environment, maintaining cleanliness in public places, and protecting tourist attractions, stated that through extensive cooperation and efforts by security institutions, tourists were able to travel to different parts of the country with full confidence during the Eid holidays.
According to Ghufran, the Ministry of Information and Culture is working to develop and strengthen the tourism sector across the country and to provide more facilities and conveniences for tourists.
However, some tourists who traveled to various provinces praised the order, security, and hospitality of the people. They said that all provinces of Afghanistan have always been beautiful, but this year, with the current level of security and tourism facilities, their trips have become even more memorable.
Islamic Emirate releases American prisoner Dennis Coyle
UK announces additional £3 million in aid for vulnerable people in Afghanistan
Around 2.3 million tourists visited Afghanistan’s recreational areas during Eid: Ghufran
Berlin does not recognize IEA envoy as charge d’affaires of Afghan embassy
US allies in Middle East ‘edging closer’ to joining conflict
Pakistani military jet downed in Afghanistan’s Jalalabad, pilot captured alive
Afghan Air Force conducts airstrikes in Islamabad, other cities
Prominent Muslim scholar issues fatwa calling for Afghanistan-Pakistan ceasefire
Afghan air force strikes key Pakistani military installations in retaliatory operation
IEA: Special circle in Pakistan has launched mission to destabilize region
Tahawol: Possibility of US ground forces entering Iran war discussed
Saar: Using US prisoners as political pressure
Tahawol: Pakistan’s efforts to destabilise Afghanistan
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