Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is set to visit the White House in April for the first time since assuming office in October 2022. While the date is being finalized, sources close to the deliberations reveal mounting pressure on Sudani's government to address strained relations with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

During a meeting between Sudani and national security advisor Jake Sullivan at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the pressure on Sudani to improve ties with Erbil was evident. According to sources, Sullivan emphasized the need for Sudani's visit to occur within a favorable context, marked by progress in the Baghdad-Erbil relationship.

Tensions persist as Baghdad continues to withhold Erbil's share of the national budget and blocks the resumption of oil exports through a KRG pipeline to Turkey's Ceyhan port. Additionally, decisions from the Iraqi Federal Court, which predates Iraq's constitution, aim to undermine the KRG's autonomy by centralizing control over revenues.

The looming visit raises questions: Will Sudani tread the red carpets of Washington, or will he confront red lines drawn by US interventionism in Iraq's internal affairs?