He stated this, speaking to members of the US Congress.

“In fact, we are not leaving - we are staying.

Our embassy remains, our programs remain.

We are taking steps to ensure that our partners stay there as well.

Whatever happens in Afghanistan, if the security situation there deteriorates significantly - and this can happen, as we discussed before - I do not think it will happen in a few days, "RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.

Earlier, David Helvey, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Security in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, said that the military did not believe that Afghanistan would come under the control of the Taliban * after the US military left the country.

* "Taliban" - the organization was recognized as terrorist by the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of February 14, 2003.