23.06.2026 21:30
A 5-member delegation from the Taliban government in Afghanistan visited the European Union for the first time and held talks with EU officials in Belgium. The discussions covered diplomatic services and the return of Afghans to their country.
Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the Taliban government made its first visit to the EU. This visit marks the Taliban's first contact with the EU in Europe since they seized power in 2021 following the withdrawal of US-led forces.
THEY MET BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
After the EU Commission sent a delegation to the capital Kabul in January, marking the first meeting between the EU and the Taliban, the parties met again today.
The meeting took place behind closed doors at an undisclosed location in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, where the headquarters of the EU and NATO are located. The talks focused on diplomatic services and the return of Afghans to their country.
Abdul Kahar Balkhi, spokesperson for Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated, "This is a historic visit. For the first time, a delegation from the Islamic Emirate has visited the EU and held meetings with member states in Brussels."
Balkhi said the discussions covered topics such as "the resumption of comprehensive consular services for Afghans in the EU region, the need for confidence-building measures, consular presence, and the dignified return process of Afghan citizens."
LIMITED VISA FOR TALIBAN DELEGATION
No EU member state officially recognizes the Taliban. Therefore, the meeting in Brussels is seen as a small crack in the diplomatic isolation imposed since the Taliban seized power five years ago. For the visit, members of the Taliban delegation were issued limited visas allowing them to stay in Belgium for 24 hours, without granting access to other Schengen area countries.
"CONTACTS ARE AT A TECHNICAL LEVEL AND DO NOT IMPLY RECOGNITION"
EU Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert stated that the meeting was held in response to demands from numerous EU member states for stricter migration policies and increased deportation procedures. Lammert said, "These contacts are at a technical level and do not imply recognition."
REACTION FROM NOBEL LAUREATE MALALA YOUSAFZAI
Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head by Taliban militants in 2012 and awarded the Nobel Peace Prize two years later, expressed "deep dismay" over the EU's meeting with the Taliban.
In a post on her social media account, Yousafzai said, "Europe should not legitimize a regime responsible for one of the world's worst human rights crises. Any engagement with the Taliban must begin and end with the rights of Afghan women and girls."
The EU has recently adopted several reforms aimed at increasing collective deportation procedures across the bloc. These include establishing return centers, tightening border controls, and engaging with the Taliban government, which is not officially recognized due to human rights violations.