EU officials and a Taliban delegation met in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss the return of Afghan nationals. According to the EU, the technical meeting is intended to facilitate the easier repatriation of failed asylum seekers and ramp up the return of migrants who do not have the right to stay in Europe.
Belgium granted the delegation temporary visas to attend the talks, marking some of the bloc's highest-level contact with the Taliban since the group's return to power in 2021.
Despite the meeting, the Taliban government is not recognized by any European country. Rights groups have criticized the discussions, stating that the meeting undermines the European Union's human rights obligations.
The focus on deportations occurs as Afghans make up one of the largest groups of migrants seeking asylum in the European Union.