Russia is set to return to the war in Afghanistan 21 years after its forces were driven out of the country.
Moscow has agreed to help train the Afghan army and anti-narcotics troops - at the request of the same Western countries who helped remove Russia from the country in the late 1980s.
But Mikhail Gorbachev today warned Nato that victory in Afghanistan is 'impossible'.
The former leader of the Soviet Union, who pulled Russian troops out of Afghanistan in 1989, said President Barack Obama is right to start withdrawing U.S. forces from the country next year.
But he warned failure to do so would result in the Americans suffering another defeat on the same scale as Vietnam.
'Victory is impossible in Afghanistan,' Mr Gorbachev said. 'Obama is right to pull the troops out. No matter how difficult it will be.'
Russia has also agreed in principle to supply Nato with helicopters for use in Afghanistan and has already sold five Mi-17 helicopters to coalition member Poland, reported The Independent. The first two are to be delivered by the end of the year.
Nato officials today said the U.S. and Russia were working on a package that could see Moscow providing more than 20 helicopters to Afghan forces, thereby hastening the coalition's exit from Afghanistan.
Nato is also thought to be exploring whether Russia would allow the alliance to ship more goods, including weapons, across its territory to Nato forces in Afghanistan.
In return for its aid in Afghanistan, Russia is seeking more co-operation from Nato over the placement of a U.S. missile-defence shield in Poland and the Czech Republic. It also wants Nato to accept its occupation of Georgia.
Moscow has agreed to help train the Afghan army and anti-narcotics troops - at the request of the same Western countries who helped remove Russia from the country in the late 1980s.
But Mikhail Gorbachev today warned Nato that victory in Afghanistan is 'impossible'.
The former leader of the Soviet Union, who pulled Russian troops out of Afghanistan in 1989, said President Barack Obama is right to start withdrawing U.S. forces from the country next year.
But he warned failure to do so would result in the Americans suffering another defeat on the same scale as Vietnam.
'Victory is impossible in Afghanistan,' Mr Gorbachev said. 'Obama is right to pull the troops out. No matter how difficult it will be.'
Russia has also agreed in principle to supply Nato with helicopters for use in Afghanistan and has already sold five Mi-17 helicopters to coalition member Poland, reported The Independent. The first two are to be delivered by the end of the year.
Nato officials today said the U.S. and Russia were working on a package that could see Moscow providing more than 20 helicopters to Afghan forces, thereby hastening the coalition's exit from Afghanistan.
Nato is also thought to be exploring whether Russia would allow the alliance to ship more goods, including weapons, across its territory to Nato forces in Afghanistan.
In return for its aid in Afghanistan, Russia is seeking more co-operation from Nato over the placement of a U.S. missile-defence shield in Poland and the Czech Republic. It also wants Nato to accept its occupation of Georgia.
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