Ukraine rejects Iraqi offer to mediate talks with Russia

By ALI ABDUL-HASSAN and ABBY SEWELL
Associated Press

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq has offered to mediate between Ukraine and Russia to try resolve the war in Europe, but Ukraine’s top diplomat rejected the offer during a rare visit to Baghdad. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba reiterated on Monday his country’s position that it would not engage in any peace talks unless Russia withdraws from all Ukrainian territory. Kuleba met with his Iraqi counterpart, Fuad Hussein. It was the first visit by a Ukrainian official to Baghdad since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and the first visit by a Ukrainian foreign minister in 11 years. Though he rejected Iraq’s offer, Kuleba said Ukraine hopes to strengthen ties with Iraq and “reinvent Ukrainian-Iraqi relations.”