Britain will have to turn to Russia and China to exercise a "moderating influence" over the Taliban, despite a mistrust between the U.K. and those governments, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said.

"We're going to have to bring in countries with a potentially moderating influence like Russia and China, however uncomfortable that is," Raab told The Sunday Telegraph newspaper.

The Taliban seized power last weekend from a U.S.-backed government, sending thousands fleeing and potentially heralding a return to the militants' austere and autocratic rule of two decades ago.