Referendum reflected people's 'free will' to decide their future, says President Karzai in unexpected move

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

The Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, has backed Russia's annexation of Crimea, saying a much-criticised referendum on its future reflected its people's "free will" to decide their future.

That stance, announced at a meeting with a US congressional delegation, puts Afghanistan in company with Venezuela, Syria and a few other nations.

It was an unexpected move from a man who has little stake in Ukraine's future, spent years fighting to evict Soviet forces from his own country, and now leads a democracy funded largely by the western nations that have slapped sanctions on Moscow.

However, Karzai has always been keen to counter accusations that he is a foreign puppet, and more recently has been at odds with the United States over everything from air strikes and the forthcoming presidential election to the recent release of dozens of prisoners captured by foreign troops.

He may also be looking to strengthen regional ties, at a time when western interest in Afghanistan is fading and with it the funds the government needs to pay the army and keep the country running.

"The two sides discussed issues of regional importance, in particular the annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol to the Russian Federation," an account of the meeting issued by Karzai's office said.

"The president said that Afghanistan respects the free will of the people of Crimea to decide about their own future," the statement added, without giving further details.

Karzai travelled to Sochi for the recent Winter Olympics when many European heads of state boycotted the ceremony, and Russia is starting to put money back into Afghanistan as foreign troops leave, retooling a factory that builds prefabricated housing and opening a cultural centre among other projects.