EU hosts first talks with Taliban officials, drawing criticism from rights groups

BRUSSELS: In a historic yet highly controversial move, an official Afghan Taliban delegation met with European Union officials in Brussels on Tuesday, marking the first time such high-level talks have taken place on European soil since the group swept back to power five years ago.

While human rights organisations and activists have vehemently denounced the event as a step toward legitimising the hardline Islamist regime, the EU has staunchly defended the interaction.

According to Brussels, the meeting is a necessary, practical step aimed at smoothing the process of repatriating failed Afghan asylum seekers.

Neither the EU nor its member states have officially recognised the Taliban government since they reclaimed Kabul following the withdrawal of US-led NATO forces.

However, Brussels argued that limited engagement with Afghanistan’s “de facto authorities” is essential, particularly for deporting individuals who have committed crimes or are deemed a security risk in Europe.

Technical Meeting or Global Validation?

The European Commission confirmed that officials from 15 member states attended the technical-level meeting, which was co-chaired by Sweden and focused strictly on return and readmission logistics.

However, the Taliban’s version of the agenda appeared significantly broader. Taking to social media, Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi stated that the discussions extended to establishing a potential consular presence in the EU and working on “trust-building measures.”

“The meeting raised hope to build positive momentum to safeguard consular rights of Afghans residing abroad,” Balkhi added.

Global Backlash and Human Rights Warnings

The diplomatic engagement has sparked fierce criticism from international figures and human rights defenders.

Prominent Pakistani education activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai led the condemnation on social media.

“Europe must not legitimise a regime responsible for one of the worst human rights crises in the world,” Malala stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Experts have also warned of severe, real-world consequences for those sent back to Kabul.

Jeff Crisp, a former UNHCR policy chief and current fellow at the University of Oxford, warned that returned Afghans could face immediate persecution upon arrival.

Reflecting the extreme caution surrounding the visit, Belgium’s Foreign Ministry revealed it had issued a highly restricted, single-day visa to the Afghan representatives, confining their movement strictly to Belgian soil and barring them from traveling freely within Europe’s passport-free Schengen zone.

The talks come at a time when the Taliban continues to enforce strict morality laws, which have systematically stripped Afghan women of freedom of movement, barred girls from education beyond primary school, and severely restricted employment and free expression.