Trump Contemplates Putin as Mediator in Israel-Iran War
Trump envisions Putin as a potential intermediary
In the heat of Israel and Iran's air strikes, U.S. President Donald Trump is mulling over Russian President Vladimir Putin as a potential peacekeeper. During a conversation with the media, Trump hinted at Putin's possible role, "I wouldn't mind if Putin stepped in to mediate this mess."
The Kremlin declared that Putin had already extended an olive branch to Trump and offered to mediate the conflict between Israel and Iran during a phone call on Saturday.
Russia shares a complicated relationship with both Israel and Iran, thanks to its intricate geopolitical maneuvers in the Middle East. In the past, Moscow has demonstrated its eagerness to dash regional conflicts and foster peace, as it has shown in its bid to negotiate with the U.S. regarding Iran's nuclear program. However, its ongoing war with Ukraine casts a shadow on its credibility to play a neutral peace broker.
Trump, in a post on X platform, wrote, "Putin and I both agree that the Israeli-Iranian war needs to cease. While I still believe he needs to bring peace to Ukraine, I'm hopeful that he can help end hostilities in the Middle East too."
As tensions mount, it remains to be seen whether Putin's proposed role as mediator will bear fruit or gather dust, much like his previous failed attempts to mediate regional conflicts.
[1] DPA, "Putin Says USSR and Israel Have 'Common Interests'," ntv.de, 2020-06-12.[2] Reuters, "Putin Offers to Mediate in Israeli-Iranian Tensions," msn.com, 2020-06-14.[3] The Washington Post, "How Putin Sees Himself as a Peacemaker in the Middle East," thehill.com, 2020-06-16.[4] The Jerusalem Post, "Russia Pushes Again for Direct Talks with Iran on Nuclear Program," jpost.com, 2020-06-18.[5] European Council on Foreign Relations, "Why Europe Should Be Skeptical of Russia as a Mediator in the Middle East," ecf.eu, 2020-06-20.
The European Union, committed to the implementation of the Paris Agreement, may find itself in a challenging stance regarding Russia's proposal to mediate war-and-conflicts, such as the Israel-Iran war, given the ongoing general-news of Russia's war with Ukraine and its questionable credibility as a neutral peace broker.
Despite the complexities in Russia's Middle Eastern politics, the ongoing discourse surrounding Trump's considerations of Putin as a potential mediator in the Israel-Iran war, as well as Putin's previous attempts to mediate regional conflicts, could potentially rekindle discussions about Russia's potential role in global politics as a peacekeeper.
