Putin Tells Iraq’s New PM, Russia Seeks Deeper Ties with Iraq

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday congratulated Iraq’s newly appointed Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi following his assumption of office, while signaling Moscow’s desire to further expand bilateral relations with Baghdad.

In a congratulatory message sent on Friday, Putin welcomed Al-Zaidi’s appointment as head of Iraq’s Council of Ministers and expressed Russia’s willingness to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

In the message, Putin said relations between Russia and Iraq are built upon “deep-rooted traditions of friendship and mutual respect.”

Addressing Al-Zaidi directly, the Russian president stated: “I hope your work leading the government will contribute to strengthening and further developing productive bilateral cooperation that benefits both countries across all sectors, in a way that serves the interests of our two peoples and contributes effectively to ensuring regional security and stability.”

The message comes one day after Iraq’s parliament approved Al-Zaidi’s new government during a parliamentary session held on Thursday, May 14, 2026.

During the session, the Iraqi parliament voted by majority to approve the government program and grant confidence to 14 ministers in Al-Zaidi’s cabinet.

The latest Russian message follows a wave of regional and international reactions to the formation of Iraq’s new government.

On Thursday, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani congratulated Al-Zaidi after the confidence vote, expressing hope that the new government would mark “a new phase of stability and peace in Iraq,” while also calling for the implementation of the Iraqi constitution and stronger relations between the Kurdistan Region and Baghdad.

As Iraq’s new administration begins its tenure, diplomatic outreach from regional and global powers appears to signal growing interest in shaping relations with Baghdad during the government’s opening phase.