Putin urges unity to solve Afghan challenges

Russian President Vladimir Putin said during the plenary session of the 6th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) that the global community should join efforts to solve the current problems in Afghanistan. Putin told the session, “To effectively oppose terrorism, drug trafficking, organized crime, it is necessary to unite… these are common threats.” And since they are common, we can only effectively oppose them together.

The president described the US mission in the region as disastrous. Putin stressed that it would have been important if the US took responsibility and learned from its past mistakes by making real change.

Putin said, while the US acknowledges that mistakes were made in Afghanistan, the same policies continue with respect to other countries. Through its sanctions policy, Washington is imposing its own standards on others.

Commenting on recent statements by US officials, the president urged Washington to focus on the current threats that have arisen after its 20-year mission in Afghanistan, rather than on countering Russia or China.

The sixth EEF began and ended in the Russian city of Vladivostok in both online and offline formats.

The main theme of this year’s event is Opportunities for the Far East in a World Under Change.