Iraqi FM Urges European Union to Launch Initiative to End War

AMMAN, Jordan — BAGHDAD — Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein spoke by phone with his Irish counterpart Helen McEntee, proposing that the European Union initiate a political effort to end the ongoing war. Hussein said he had also raised the proposal with the Dutch foreign minister and indicated that consultations with European foreign ministers would continue in the coming period. Iraq plans to present the initiative at a meeting of Arab and European foreign ministers scheduled to take place in Amman this month. The two ministers discussed the war's impact on Iraq's economic and fiscal situation, including its negative consequences for trade and energy sectors. Both sides emphasized the need to intensify international efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire, addressing the war's implications for regional and international stability.