Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani received Mr. Elbrus Kutrashev, the new Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Iraq, in Erbil on Monday.

President Nechirvan Barzani congratulated the Ambassador on assuming the office and wished him success in his new mission.

Ambassador Kutrashev commended the progress and reconstruction efforts in the Kurdistan Region and referred to the importance that Russia’s foreign ministry attaches to the Kurdish question. Mr. Kutrashev also referred to the Russian Kurds who have actively contributed to the development in the country.

Discussions also focused on Iraq’s upcoming elections, COVID-19 pandemic, the vaccination efforts and the developments in Syria. The President and the Ambassador affirmed the need to find political solutions to the problems in Syria.