Rome, 12 October 2021 (dpa/MIA) - The European Union will give a total of 1 billion euros (1.1 billion dollars) in aid to support Afghans in their home country and those who have fled elsewhere in the region. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the new pledge commitment during a conference of G20 countries on the situation in Afghanistan on Tuesday. The EU had already promised 300 million euros in humanitarian aid. It was announced that another 250 million euros will go to support health care operations. Further EU money will flow to neighbouring countries that have taken in Afghans. The leaders of the G20 nations are holding the extraordinary meeting to address the growing humanitarian and security crisis in Afghanistan. Italy holds the rotating G20 presidency this year. The situation in Afghanistan has dramatically deteriorated since the hard-line Islamists seized power in the country following the withdrawal of US and other Western troops after a nearly 20-year occupation. Governments worldwide are now debating how best to help the population, as some 3.5 million people are internally displaced. Other concerns include whether to recognize the Taliban, given the Islamists' dire record on human rights. Two G20 leaders are not attending the summit, which is taking place via videolink: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Both countries gave their support early to the Taliban. Putin is being represented by vice foreign minister Igor Morgulov as Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had prior commitments, the Kremlin said. During the weekend, the US Department of State held the first-ever face-to-face discussions between the Taliban and US officials, in what the latter called a "candid and professional" exchange. The talks focused on security and terrorism concerns, safe passage for US citizens, other foreign nationals and Afghan partners, as well as on human rights, according to a State Department spokesperson. Afghanistan urgently needs financial aid from abroad, otherwise many fear catastrophe, given a looming drought and the winter ahead. There are growing concerns that the country's economy, health and banking systems are on the brink of collapse. The UN recently warned 1 million Afghan children are at risk of starvation as winter approaches. More than half of the children under the age of five are at risk of malnutrition. Some 18 million Afghans - half the total population - depend on humanitarian aid, according to the UN, with 93 per cent of households lacking enough to eat. Meanwhile more than 2 million Afghans have fled to neighbouring countries. At a donor conference held last month, leaders pledged more than 1 billion dollars for the war-torn country, but according to UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, only 35 per cent of this sum has so far been disbursed.