Iraq hails Saudi Arabia's role in US-Russia talks: Crucial for international peace

Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, Iraq welcomed Saudi Arabia’s hosting of talks between Moscow and Washington to end the Russia-Ukraine war, calling it an “important step” toward regional and international peace.

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry stated, “This initiative highlights Saudi Arabia’s active role in supporting diplomatic efforts to resolve international conflicts, particularly amid the ongoing security and political challenges facing the region.”

“These discussions are crucial for enhancing international cooperation and efforts toward stability, particularly given the shared challenges faced by Arab nations,” it affirmed, stressing the need for continued joint action to ensure security both in the region and globally.

On Tuesday, senior US and Russian officials began talks in Riyadh to ease tensions between both countries and address the Ukraine crisis. The meeting, attended by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and National Security Advisor Musaad Al-Aiban, paved the way for a potential summit between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Saudi Arabia.

Despite ongoing efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, Russian drones launched sporadic attacks on Tuesday night, with explosions heard in the capital, Kyiv.

The Ukrainian military stated that 176 drones were deployed, claiming to have shot down 103, while 67 failed to hit their targets. It did not clarify the fate of the remaining six drones, but confirmed that the Kirovohrad, Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Cherkasy regions were affected.

In Odesa, a Black Sea port city, Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov noted that Russian drone strikes caused power, water, and heating disruptions for most residents. "Hospitals, clinics and social infrastructure sites were left without heating," Trukhanov wrote on Telegram, describing the assault as "massive".

Meanwhile, Moscow announced that it had intercepted and downed 21 Ukrainian drones within an hour.