17 Apr 2023 17:17

Iraq willing to mediate between Ukraine, Russia, if asked - FM

MOSCOW. April 17 (Interfax) - Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said at a press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmitry Kuleba in Baghdad on Monday that Iraq seeks to be part of a solution to end a crisis in Ukraine, Ukrainian media reported, citing the Kurdish media outlet Rudaw.

"Baghdad is willing to mediate if asked to do so," Hussein said.

For his part, Kuleba expressed his gratitude for Iraq's support of Ukraine.

The ministers discussed the impact of the crisis on global oil prices and the need to develop relations between Kiev and Baghdad in various areas, including trade and education.

"I think we can achieve a lot together by working through all aspects of our bilateral relations and outlining joint projects," Ukrainian media quoted Kuleba as saying in a statement released by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.

He emphasized that he had arrived in Baghdad to "open up the doors to new opportunities in the bilateral relations between Ukraine and Iraq and to fill the relations with new practical content."

The two foreign ministers separately discussed the Ukrainian grain exports. The ministers agreed to hold consultations at the level of several ministries of Ukraine and Iraq in the near future in order to step up cooperation in the field of trade, education and digitalization.

The parties also agreed to hold political consultations of the Foreign Ministries as well as the fifth meeting of the intergovernmental commission on trade, economic, scientific and technological cooperation. The previous meeting of the commission took place in 2012.

Kuleba's visit is taking place as part of the implementation of the agreements reached during a phone conversation between Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on April 10.

In Baghdad, Kuleba invited Fuad Hussein to visit Ukraine.