The head of Ukrainian diplomacy Dmytro Kuleba is expected in Baghdad later in the day for his first official visit to Iraq since the outbreak of war between Russia and Ukraine, Iraqi authorities announced yesterday.

Mr. Kouleba will meet with his Iraqi counterpart Fouad Hussein and will be received by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed al-Shahaf said in a press release.

He will visit Baghdad to “promote the strengthening of bilateral relations, hold consultations on various issues and discuss regional and international challenges,” the text continues.

The visit comes less than a week after Iraqi Prime Minister and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met.

Referring to the conflict that broke out in February 2022, Mr Sudani insisted on the “importance of reaching a peaceful solution” and “dialogue to end the crisis”, according to a statement from his services.

Despite the outbreak of war, Iraq has kept intact its – not negligible – economic relations with Kiev and with Moscow, as it has chosen to maintain a neutral stance.

Baghdad has been transformed in recent months into a scene of intense diplomatic ballet. In February, the Iraqi political leadership welcomed the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov. At the time, Mr. Hussein had recalled his country’s position in favor of declaring a “ceasefire” so that “negotiations between the parties can begin.”

At the start of the year, Baghdad also hosted the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Iran, as well as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Iraq took an unprecedented mediating initiative in 2021 between Iran and Saudi Arabia; the two arch-rivals in the region announced in March an agreement to restore relations under the auspices of China.