Russia on Friday pledged to help its ally Tajikistan to build a new outpost on the border, amid a worsening conflict in Afghanistan as US-led troops withdraw after a 20-year intervention. The two countries will also hold major drills next month.
"The parties discussed the situation in the Tajik-Afghan border area and joint measures to neutralize threats related to the escalating situation in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan," TASS quoted the Russian ministry as saying following the phone conversation.
Russia operates a military base in Tajikistan, a former Soviet republic, whose government has expressed concern about the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan.