Putin's CSTO Address: Withdrawal Of US Troops From Afghanistan 'Put Mild...

The withdrawal of the western coalition’s troops from Afghanistan was "hasty, mildly speaking," Vladimir Putin said addressing a summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) via video link on Thursday, and noted the related threats in the region.

The environment in the zone of the CSTO’s responsibility and the external borders of its members is "not only unstable, but carries new, truly critical challenges and risks for security of our countries," he said.

"Right after a hasty, mildly speaking hasty withdrawal of the troops of the US and its allies from Afghanistan and the rise to power of the Taliban we shared views on the dangers related to the drastically changed situation in the country at an extraordinary CSTO summit. All approved then the conclusion that amid the current environment a close cooperation between CSTO member-states is required as never before," Putin emphasized.