Talking to the Devil: European countries in a desperate move against Muslim immigration

European representatives held an unusual meeting in Brussels with five Taliban delegates to arrange deportations to Afghanistan. According to reports, the issue of human rights was not raised in the discussions. Human rights organizations warn against cooperating with the repressive regime, while the Taliban exploits Europe's immigration pressure to demand diplomatic recognition and economic aid.

Representatives from over 20 European entities and five Taliban delegates met in Brussels in late June 2026, in an unusual meeting focused on arranging deportations to Afghanistan. The meeting broke a long-standing taboo on holding direct talks with the organization on EU soil. According to three meeting participants and three additional sources, the European representatives did not raise the issue of the Taliban's human rights violations, including the oppression of women. Details of the meeting emerge from information from the German Foreign Ministry and interviews with seven diplomatic and Afghan sources. European governments emphasize that these are merely technical contacts, but human rights organizations warn against cooperating with a repressive regime. The Taliban, which returned to power about five years ago, exploits Europe's immigration pressure to demand broader diplomatic recognition, access to diplomatic missions, and economic aid. Germany has already allowed Taliban representatives to operate in Afghan missions in Berlin and Bonn, and France is considering a similar step. In Europe, there are fears that transferring development funds will lead to financing the Taliban government. An expert quoted says the Taliban has real bargaining power and the EU is helpless.