Al-Sudani discusses bilateral ties and energy cooperation with Russian ambassador

BAGHDAD – Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa’ Al-Sudani met with Moscow’s ambassador to Baghdad on Monday to discuss energy cooperation and potential investments by Russian companies.

A readout of Al-Sudani’s meeting with Ambassador Elbrus Kutrashev said the officials discussed recent security developments in the region, as well as efforts to prevent further escalation following a series of repeated attacks between U.S. forces and Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq and Syria.

The U.S. hit more than 85 militia targets in Iraq and Syria on Feb. 2 in retaliation for a drone attack on a base housing American troops in a remote corner of Jordan that killed three service members.

Al-Sudani reportedly underscored the need for international cooperation on finding a solution to the war in Gaza, particularly by the U.N. Security Council. Russia called for a session of the council on Feb. 4, during which it condemned the recent U.S. strikes, which reportedly killed as many as 40 people, among them civilians.

Kutrashev emphasized his country’s commitment to supporting stability in Iraq, expressing a strong desire to invest in economic partnerships that would benefit both countries, including greater energy cooperation and Russian collaboration on the Development Road project.