Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov asked the Afghan insurgent group Taliban to reduce violence in Afghanistan and engage in meaningful talks with the Afghan government to find a political solution to end the conflict in the country.

Lavrov’s statement came on Friday during a joint press conference with the Afghan Foreign Minister Hanif Atmar in Moscow, Russia. Lavrov also acknowledged that the situation was rapidly deteriorating in Afghanistan.

“Our main message to the Taliban is to resume meaningful dialogue as soon as possible, avoid further escalation of violence to reach a conclusion, and respect the decisions of the UN Security Council,” he was quoted as saying by TOLOnews.

He also advised the insurgent group not to put any new demands in talks. He said Russia is in contact with other nations that have been involved in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, Atmar thanked Russia for the position. Russia also believes that the return of the Taliban regime is unacceptable, Atmar said.

Earlier in January, a Taliban delegation headed by Sher Muhammad Abbas Stanekzai also visited Russia. Significantly, Atmar’s visit comes a week after Zamir Kabulov, the Russian President’s special envoy to Afghanistan, backed the idea of the formation of an interim government in Afghanistan. 

The Friday statement comes as a relief to the Afghan government who has also been counting on regional support to pressure the Taliban for meaningful talks to end the conflict through a power-sharing agreement.