Regional powers gathered in Moscow on Monday for the eighth meeting of the Moscow Format consultations on Afghanistan, with the Taliban-led government seeking deeper political and economic engagement with neighboring countries amid renewed tensions with Pakistan.

Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi is leading the Afghan delegation to the meeting, where participants are expected to discuss Afghanistan's political and economic ties with the region, counterterrorism cooperation and efforts to curb drug trafficking.

Representatives and senior officials from Russia, Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are taking part, while Belarus and Egypt have been invited as guests, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is due to address the gathering.

Muttaqi is also scheduled to hold separate talks with Lavrov on the sidelines of the meeting to discuss bilateral cooperation and other current issues.

The meeting comes at a time of heightened tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with Moscow saying the dispute will be among the issues discussed. Russia's special presidential representative for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, said Moscow was ready to use the Moscow Format to encourage Kabul and Islamabad to reach a compromise.

Relations between the two neighbors have deteriorated sharply in recent months, with Pakistan accusing the Afghan authorities of allowing militants from the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to operate from Afghan territory. Kabul denies the accusation and says militancy inside Pakistan is an internal issue.

The tensions escalated last week when Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan's Kunar and Helmand provinces. Afghan authorities said the strikes killed civilians, including women and children, while Islamabad said it had targeted militant hideouts and killed 22 militants. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan reported at least 10 civilian deaths, most of them children.

Against that backdrop, the Moscow meeting provides a regional forum for Afghanistan's neighbors and major powers to discuss security concerns while also exploring trade, investment, transport links and other forms of economic cooperation.

The Moscow Format was established by Russia in 2017 and has developed into one of the main regional diplomatic mechanisms dealing with Afghanistan. At the seventh meeting in October 2025, Afghanistan participated as a formal member for the first time, with Muttaqi heading the delegation. Participants at that meeting called for greater regional economic engagement, humanitarian assistance and stronger counterterrorism cooperation.

Russia has significantly expanded its engagement with Kabul. Moscow formally recognized the Taliban government in 2025, making it the first country to do so, and has since advocated greater international and regional engagement with Afghanistan.

The eighth meeting is expected to conclude with a joint statement outlining areas of regional cooperation. (ILKHA)