( CNN ) -- Russia 's top diplomat said Thursday the nation will permit NATO to move armored vehicles through Russia to Afghanistan , state-run Russian media said . `` The eased transit regulations have been extended to armored vehicles with anti-mine protection , '' Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after discussions in Moscow , Russia , with Afghan foreign minister Zalmay Rasul , according to state-run RIA Novosti . At the NATO summit in Lisbon , Portugal , last week , Russia and the alliance agreed to `` broadened transit arrangements through Russian territory '' of `` non-lethal '' material . The cargo would be moved through Russia to and from Afghanistan . `` We underlined the importance of international efforts in support of the Afghan government and in promoting regional peace and stability . In that context , the revised arrangements aimed at further facilitating railway transit of non-lethal ISAF goods through Russian territory are of particular value , '' the NATO-Russia Council Joint Statement said Saturday . The agreement will help NATO 's International Security Force break its dependency on Pakistani authorities to allow supplies and vehicles to get through . Pakistan last month temporarily closed the main land route for NATO supplies crossing from Pakistan to Afghanistan after U.S. helicopter strikes across the border killed two Pakistani soldiers . Dmitry Rogozin , the Russian permanent representative to NATO , said the matter refers to vehicles for transporting civilians only , Interfax news agency reported , citing remarks he made on Echo Moskvy radio . `` This has been made so that they could freely move even if militants using improvised explosive devices step up their activities , '' Rogozin said . `` We have not given and will not give our consent to transportation of military cargo by rail through Russian territory . ''
The Afghan and Russian foreign ministers are meeting in Moscow . Russia has been a key backer of the Taliban since it invaded Afghanistan after the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington.