Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani arrived in Germany on Friday to participate in the Munich Security Conference scheduled for February 14-16, 2025, and met with several world leaders and senior officials.
There, he met with representatives from the EU, the United States, Germany, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Italy to discuss regional security, cooperation, and stability.
In his meeting with the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, President Barzani “expressed [his] appreciation to the EU and its member states for their continued support to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.”
President Nechirvan Barzani Meets with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyenhttps://t.co/Y3bUFsHbeR
— KRP Media (@MediaKRP) February 14, 2025
Kurdistan Region President also met with U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, and expressed gratitude for the U.S. Congress’s continued support for the Kurdistan Region. The two officials discussed regional developments, with the senator reaffirming U.S. support for Kurdistan.
The Kurdish leader also met with Hans-Georg Engelke, State Secretary at Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community, to discuss enhancing cooperation on security, migration, crime prevention, and Erbil-Baghdad relations.
Furthermore, he met with Germany’s Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius to discuss Kurdistan-Germany ties, counterterrorism, and regional security. The President of Kurdistan thanked Germany for its support, while Minister Pistorius reaffirmed continued cooperation.
At the @MunSecConf, President Nechirvan Barzani expressed gratitude for the U.S. Congress’s continued support for the Kurdistan Region in a meeting with Senator @ChrisVanHollen. They discussed regional developments, with the Senator reaffirming U.S. support for Kurdistan. pic.twitter.com/GJjJ9jcKZR
— KRP Media (@MediaKRP) February 14, 2025
Barzani also met officials from several Gulf countries, including Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulaziz al-Khulaifi, to discuss Qatar’s ties with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, regional developments, and stability in Syria, emphasizing the rights of all communities.
Additionally, he held a meeting with Bahrain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, in which they discussed Bahrain-Kurdistan ties, regional developments, and ways to boost political and economic collaboration.
The President of Kurdistan Region also met with Kuwait’s Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah al-Ahmad al-Sabah to discuss regional developments and opportunities to strengthen Iraq and the Kurdistan Region’s relations with Kuwait.
As part of his engagements at the @MunSecConf, President Nechirvan Barzani met with Hans-Georg Engelke, State Secretary at Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Interior, to discuss enhancing cooperation on security, migration, crime prevention, and Erbil-Baghdad relations. pic.twitter.com/FpkddncCOQ
— KRP Media (@MediaKRP) February 14, 2025
Barzani met with Italy’s Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto to discuss Kurdistan-Italy ties, counterterrorism efforts, and regional stability.
Both sides reaffirmed ongoing cooperation and Italy’s support for the peshmerga.
In a post on X, Italy’s Ministry of Defense said that the meeting was “a valuable opportunity to reaffirm the strong bond of friendship and highlight the fruitful cooperation with the Kurdistan Region.
“Discussions also covered key issues, including the regional situation and the ongoing threat posed by ISIS to the Middle East, with a focus on economic and energy cooperation.”
