Iraq was a client state of Russia prior to the US invasion of Iraq. After the freeing of Kuwait and the retreating Iraqi were being decimated on the highway between Kuwait and Iraq, a number of Russians were counted among the dead. They had been advisors to the Iraqi. And the Iraqi equipment was Russian made. The Russians are picking up from where there once were, IMO.
And Russia played an important part in the negotiations after the Iraq/Kuwait war and prior to the Iraq war of 2003.
I think the solution is 3 separate countries. If they want to go into agreements beyond that...fine.