Russia hosts a Taliban delegation, others for consultations on Afghanistan

MOSCOW (AP) — A delegation from Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban government joined representatives from China, India, Iran, Pakistan and other nations for talks in Moscow on Monday.

While Russia has sought to bolster its regional clout by hosting the annual consultations, they were marred by the spiraling tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which traded blame for cross-border attacks in strongly worded statements.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov welcomed the Taliban’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to Moscow by congratulating him on “the fifth anniversary of Afghanistan’s liberation from the NATO contingent.”

“Five years is a short time to overcome the consequences of many decades of occupation, yet your government’s achievements are evident, and we welcome them,” Lavrov said. He hailed the Taliban's successes in combating the Islamic State group and other extremists, and its efforts to eradicate drug trafficking.

Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021 after the pullback of U.S. and NATO forces, they have sought international recognition while also enforcing their strict interpretation of Islamic law.

In July 2025, Russia became the first country to recognize the Taliban’s government after removing the group from its list of outlawed organizations.

Speaking during Monday’s talks, Lavrov said that “the powerful military machine of the United States and their NATO allies was broken by the fighting spirit and resilience of the Afghans.”

The former Soviet Union fought a 10-year war in Afghanistan that ended with Moscow withdrawing its troops in 1989. During the past decade, Moscow has sought to bolster its influence in the region by hosting regular consultations on Afghanistan involving senior representatives of the Taliban and neighboring nations.

Lavrov noted that the Taliban's “successes in the fight against narcotics and terrorism are to a significant extent linked to the ongoing military-technical cooperation between our countries.”

Russia's top diplomat reaffirmed that Moscow views the deployment of any NATO military infrastructure on the territory of Afghanistan and neighboring countries as “categorically unacceptable.”

“Historical experience shows that such a presence is fraught with destabilization and escalating conflict,” Lavrov said.

He emphasized that Russia will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.

Officials from China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan also took part in the talks.

Russia’s envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, said that Moscow was ready to help defuse the tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. “Russia stands ready to help end this conflict using all possible means and acting independently or together with other partners if both parties ask for it,” Kabulov told reporters.

Cross-border fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan has continued to rage despite international mediation efforts, with Pakistan launching airstrikes across several Afghan provinces and Afghan fighters carrying out raids into Pakistan.

Pakistan has long accused Afghanistan’s Taliban government of sheltering militants responsible for cross-border attacks, particularly the Pakistani Taliban, or TTP.

Pakistan’s envoy Mohammad Sadiq argued Monday that “terrorism remains at the core of Afghanistan’s problems, with roots in the nexus between the Taliban Regime and terrorist groups,” including the TTP and others.

“Over the last three years alone, more than 4,700 innocent Pakistanis have lost their lives to terrorism emanating from Afghanistan,” Sadiq said at the talks, declaring that the “Taliban regime is complicit in this” and describing Pakistan’s counterstrikes as “precise, intelligence-based and defensive in nature.”

In his turn, Muttaqi, the Taliban foreign minister, denounced Pakistan's attacks, which he said had killed Afghan civilians, including women and children.

“In all the attacks or bombing that Pakistan has carried out, there has been no evidence to date that anyone who was dangerous to them (Pakistan) or anyone else has been killed by them,” he said at a briefing after the talks.

While Russia was the first country to recognize the Taliban administration, the group had engaged in high-level talks with many nations and established some diplomatic ties with countries including China and the United Arab Emirates.

Still, the Taliban government has been relatively isolated on the world stage, largely over its restrictions on women.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks during the Moscow format consultations on Afghanistan in Moscow, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attends the Moscow format consultations on Afghanistan in Moscow, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, center, speaks during the Moscow format consultations on Afghanistan in Moscow, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

From left, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi attend the Moscow format consultations on Afghanistan in Moscow, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Front, from left, Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Russian Presidential Envoy to Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov pose for a photo ahead of the Moscow format consultations on Afghanistan in Moscow, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jackson Chourio says his knack for coming through in clutch situations stems from one instance when he failed to deliver during his rookie year.

Just about every Milwaukee Brewers opponent has been paying for that ever since, as baseball's best closer now knows.

Chourio hit a two-run single off hard-throwing Mason Miller with two outs in the ninth inning as the Brewers rallied past the San Diego Padres for the second straight day, a 4-3 victory Sunday for a 2-0 NL Division Series lead.

“I think it's probably in the top three of the special moments I've had in my career,” Chourio said through interpreter Daniel de Mondesert.

The fact Chourio didn't automatically rank it atop the list speaks volumes about all the memorable moments the 22-year-old already has produced in his first three seasons. Chourio said his drive to deliver in these moments intensified after he struck out against Andrés Muñoz, ending a loss to Seattle early in his rookie year.

“At that point, everything turned for me,” Chourio said. “I told myself I was never going to make the last out. I’d dedicate myself to fighting and doing whatever I could for the team and not having that feeling again from that specific game.”

San Diego, which entered the postseason with 20 wins in its last 23 games, headed home for Game 3 of the best-of-five series on Tuesday following its first back-to-back losses since Sept. 1-2.

Milwaukee rallied from 2-0 deficits on consecutive days by beating the Padres' bullpen. William Contreras hit a tiebreaking homer in the seventh inning against Adrian Morejon on Saturday.

“It’s a big challenge,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said. “They’re a great team. You saw how hard they battle us here in Milwaukee. But we like where we are when we play at home."

Michael King retired his first 14 batters as the Padres went ahead 2-0, and they led 3-2 when Miller entered trying for his first six-out save since 2024.

The two-time All-Star closer retired the side in order in the eighth. After a leadoff groundout in the ninth, Miller issued his first career postseason walks to Christian Yelich and Sal Frelick.

Andrew Vaughn flied out and pinch hitter Gary Sánchez walked, taking six straight pitches.

That brought Chourio to the plate, one day after he sparked a 3-2 comeback victory with a tying, two-run homer in the third inning.

“Watching those at-bats beforehand, I knew that he was a little bit erratic,” Chourio said. “He was throwing some balls. I knew that he was going to come at me with the fastball at some point, so mentally I was just making sure that I was prepared for that.”

Chourio connected on a 2-2 pitch, lining a 101.3 mph fastball up the middle and past second baseman Jake Cronenworth’s attempt for a diving backhand stop. Cronenworth believed he was inches away from making the play.

“He smashed it, but I thought I got a good jump on it,” Cronenworth said.

The ball bounced into center field as Yelich ran across the plate. Frelick slid in head first, easily beating center fielder Jackson Merrill’s throw.

Miller threw a season-high 40 pitches — his most since 2023 — but said after the game that didn't impact him. He topped 100 mph with 18 pitches, the fastest a 103.5 mph offering that Chourio fouled.

"I didn’t do my job today, so instead of being here with a win and a series tie, we’re in a hole," Miller said.

At 22 years, 207 days, Chourio became the second-youngest player with a postseason walk-off hit. Edgar Renteria was 22 years old but younger than Chourio is today when he had two walk-off hits during the Florida Marlins' run to the 1997 World Series title.

Chourio has hit .327 with a franchise-record five homers to go along with 15 RBIs in 14 career postseason games.

“He loves those moments,” Yelich said. “And he knows how talented he is and what he can do on a baseball field. He can do anything.”

Chourio also made a key defensive play in the opener when Ty France hit a potential go-ahead homer in the ninth inning only for the ball to strike a cable on the roof of American Family Field and land in the left fielder's glove at the warning track.

With the roof open Sunday, France hit an RBI single in the first and another a run-scoring single for a 3-1 lead in the seventh after third baseman David Hamilton bobbled Fernando Tatis Jr.'s grounder for an error.

Frelick had an RBI single in the fifth after Christian Yelich doubled.

Milwaukee closed to 3-2 in the seventh when Garrett Mitchell scored from third as Cronenworth bobbled Hamilton's grounder and then threw past first for a double error.

“We could very easily be going home up 2-0,” France said. “But the reality is we're not. We have to go and we have to win. No ifs, ands or buts, we have to play our best baseball now.”

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio is congratulated after hitting a walkoff hit during the ninth inning of Game 2 of a National League Divisional baseball playoff series against the San Diego Padres Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio hits a walkoff hit during the ninth inning of Game 2 of a National League Divisional baseball playoff series against the San Diego Padres Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio hits a walkoff hit off San Diego Padres' Mason Miller during the ninth inning of Game 2 of a National League Divisional baseball playoff series Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio is douced by Garrett Mitchell and William Contreras after hitting a walkoff hit during the ninth inning of Game 2 of a National League Divisional baseball playoff series against the San Diego Padres Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio celebrates after hitting a walkoff hit during the ninth inning of Game 2 of a National League Divisional baseball playoff series against the San Diego Padres Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)