Russia’s Supreme Court on Thursday lifted a ban on Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban, a group that was designated as a terrorist organization more than two decades ago.

Russia officially removed the Taliban from its list of designated terrorist organizations, a legal formality that follows years of pragmatic engagement with the Afghan militant group. While the Taliban has been banned in Russia since 2003,

Russia’s Supreme Court lifted a ban against the Taliban on Thursday, removing Afghanistan’s rulers from a list of terror groups as ties deepen between Moscow and Kabul.