Russia is ready to use the capabilities of its military base in Tajikistan to ensure the security of its CSTO allies in connection with the situation in Afghanistan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday, Interfax reports.
“We are closely following what is happening in Afghanistan, where the situation is tending to a rapid deterioration, including in the context of the hasty withdrawal of American and NATO troops,” Lavrov said at a press conference in Vientiane, Laos.
He noted that during their presence in Afghanistan, the United States and NATO have not achieved tangible results in terms of stabilizing the situation there.
The minister stressed that Russia's commitments within CSTO “remain in full force,” and also recalled that representatives of the organization’s secretariat “visited the Tajik-Afghan border, assessed the situation and will report to CSTO permanent council.”