[Putin Meets with Iraqi President, Emphasizing Russian Support for Iraq's Territorial Integrity] Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iraqi President Abdul Rashid in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, on December 12. During the meeting, Rashid stated that many countries in the Middle East are currently facing political and security challenges, and therefore Iraq hopes to strengthen political coordination with Russia and deepen cooperation in economic areas such as machinery manufacturing, infrastructure construction, and agriculture. Rashid also expressed his desire to visit Russia, which Putin welcomed and reiterated his invitation to Rashid to visit Russia. Putin emphasized that Russia consistently supports Iraq's territorial integrity and the efforts made by the Iraqi leadership to stabilize the situation.
