Moscow, 28 June 2022 (dpa/MIA) – Russia is aiming to improve relations with the Taliban in Afghanistan, President Vladimir Putin said in Dushanbe while on a visit to Tajikistan on Tuesday. "We are doing everything to ensure that the situation normalizes in the country and are trying to build up links with the political forces controlling the situation," Putin said, in remarks published by the Interfax news agency. While the Taliban has not been recognized internationally, the Islamist militants have controlled most of Afghanistan since the summer of 2021. Despite the fact that they are seen in Russia officially as an Islamist terrorist organization, a Taliban delegation attended an international economic forum in St Petersburg. Putin's visit to Tajikistan, a former Soviet republic, is his first trip abroad since Russian forces invaded Ukraine at the end of February. Speaking during talks with Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon, the Russian president referred to "joint responsibility" for stability in the region. Russia maintains a military base in Tajikistan. On Wednesday, Putin travels on to Turkmenistan, another former Soviet republic in the region.