Shafaq News / The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed today, Saturday, that Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani will undertake an official visit to the Russian capital, Moscow, in the coming weeks.
The ministry stated that Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Fuad Hussein met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov yesterday, Friday, September 22, 2023, on the sidelines of his participation in the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The statement added that during the meeting, the prospects of mutual cooperation and the development of bilateral relations between the two countries were discussed. The minister emphasized that the Iraqi side is working on completing the necessary preparations for Prime Minister Al Sudani's visit to the Russian capital, Moscow, in the upcoming weeks.
The statement quoted Hussein as saying that the discussions between the two sides during the visit will provide a suitable opportunity to discuss bilateral cooperation in political and economic areas, indicating the possibility of holding a joint Iraqi-Russian committee meeting on the sidelines of this visit.
On his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, affirmed his country's keenness to develop bilateral relations between the two nations, expressing Russia's anticipation of Al Sudani's visit to Moscow in the coming weeks.
Last July, the Russian Ambassador to Baghdad, Elbrus Kutrashev, mentioned that the Iraqi Prime Minister had accepted an invitation to visit Russia, but the exact date of the visit has not yet been determined.
The head of the Russian diplomatic mission also pointed out that such a visit would be an opportunity to discuss issues of mutual interest to the leadership of both countries, including those of a political and economic nature.