Zelenskyy talks to Iraqi Prime Minister for first time

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has had his first conversation with Iraq’s Prime Minister. As Zelenskyy states, Ukraine is ready for a new page of cooperation, and the parties discussed the Ukrainian formula for peace.

Source: Zelenskyy on Facebook, website of the Embassy of Ukraine in Iraq

Quote: "I have had a telephone conversation with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. I noted that Ukraine is ready for a new page in bilateral cooperation.

We agreed to intensify all existing mechanisms of cooperation and launch new ones. We also discussed the Ukrainian formula for peace."

Details: Information on the embassy's website notes that this is the first conversation between the senior leadership of the two countries.

In addition, bilateral negotiations at the governmental level intensified between Iraq and Ukraine in 2022. This happened after Russia's full-scale invasion.

In particular, in September 2022, Denys Shmyhal, Prime Minister of Ukraine, spoke at a meeting with former Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi about the need to pressure Russia to extend the Black Sea Grain Initiative and export Ukrainian grain.

Shmyhal also urged Iraqi businesses to participate in the post-war recovery of Ukraine.

Background: In February 2023, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba met with his Iraqi counterpart, Fuad Hussein. Kuleba called on Iraq to join the Ukrainian peace formula.

A new president was elected in Iraq in 2022. Abdul Latif Rashid became the leader of the country.

In addition, in April 2022, The Guardian reported that Russia was receiving some ammunition and military equipment from Iraq for the war against Ukraine. The Kremlin managed to acquire the weapons with the help of Iranian smuggling networks.

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