Sadr calls for dialogue between Russia and Ukraine 

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iraqi Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr said he is “still looking forward” to dialogue prevailing between Russia and Ukraine shortly before the outbreak of war between the two former Soviet states on Thursday morning. 

“I am still looking forward to the principle of dialogue prevailing between the two Christian neighboring countries,” as war is “absolutely useless,” Sadr tweeted on Wednesday night.

Sadr’s tweets came mere hours before what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called a “full-scale invasion” of his country by Russia began early Thursday. Russian President Vladimir Putin described the move as a “special military operation”. 

He said US influence on Ukraine and Ukraine's divergent interests to those of Russia's do not constitute "justifications for war at all."

He also believes that the current crisis might “drag the entire world into a relentless war”. 

Back home, Sadr is dealing with a political deadlock over government formation months after the October parliamentary elections. He is pushing for a majority government while his rivals call for a consensus-based government, the traditional form of government in post-Saddam Iraq since the 2005 elections. 

Sadr advised the conflicting parties to avoid war as he recalled Iraq's bloody past produced nothing but ruin for its people.

Iraq recently experienced a wave of attacks against political parties’ residences and offices, including the speaker of parliament. Iraq observers believe the increasing violence is closely related to the political standoff between the rival parties.