Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani met with the new Russian Ambassador to Iraq.

The Russian Consul General in the Kurdistan Region, officials from Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a delegation from Gazprom accompanied Ambassador Maxim Maximov on his first visit to Erbil.

The top Russian diplomat in Iraq called for further strengthening the relations between his country and the Kurdistan Region on all levels.  Citing  economic importance of the Kurdistan Region to his country, he urged Russian companies to invest in the Kurdistan Region, especially in the energy sector.

For his part, Prime Minister Barzani highlighted the close relations between the Kurdistan Region and Russian Federation.  He also said that the Kurdistan Regional Government supports foreign companies that invest in the Kurdistan Region and commended Gazprom for investing in the region’s energy sector.

The two sides also discussed a number of pressing issues, including the fight of the war against the so-called Islamic State terror group and the ongoing operation to liberate the city of Mosul