International alliances involving Russia have turned their attention to developments in Kabul, with the leaders of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) preparing to meet and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) looking for ways to resolve the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said while opening a meeting in Moscow on August 21 with Kazakh President Qasym-Jomart Toqaev that the CSTO will hold a video conference this week to discuss the situation in Afghanistan following the Taliban's return to power.
"Of course, one of the most current issues right now is the security issue, especially in light of the events taking place in Afghanistan now," Putin said, adding that the CSTO meeting on August 23 would be a chance for leaders to compare notes.
On the sidelines of a Dushanbe conference dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the SCO -- which includes China, Pakistan, India, and four Central Asian states, among others -- former SCO Secretary-General Rashid Alimov told TASS that the fallout from the Taliban's takeover would require more action to ensure regional stability.
"The growing activities of terrorist organizations in Afghanistan and potential threats to regional stability create the need for the SCO to take cooperation with the UN and the CSTO to a new level," Alimov said.