Amidst the significant escalation in the Middle East, Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed to mediate the Israel-Hamas conflict, with intentions to stop the bloodshed. He expressed Russia’s readiness to coordinate with constructive partners for this purpose.
However, it is crucial to recognize Putin’s offer for its true nature: a farce.
It is suspicious that shortly after Putin’s call to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Palestinian ambassador to Moscow called on Hamas to release hostages. Subsequently, Hamas declared its intention to release non-Israeli hostages under certain conditions. Was this sequence of events a mere coincidence?
Russia has a pattern of offering to resolve conflicts while simultaneously escalating and de-escalating them for its own benefit. Although there isn’t concrete evidence of Russia’s direct involvement in Hamas’ attacks on Israel, it is known that Russia, as an ally of Iran, has been cultivating relationships with Islamic radicals. Hamas delegations have visited Moscow in recent years.
Undoubtedly, Russia is the clear beneficiary of the recent outbreak of violence as it diverts global attention from Ukraine to the Middle East. This situation provides congressional Republicans with an argument to redirect aid from Ukraine to Israel.
Putin’s tactic of offering to arbitrate crises, particularly those he contributes to, is not new. Russia has a history of escalating conflicts to gain leverage in negotiations with the West and presenting itself as a peace-loving nation while demonizing the West as a destabilizing force. This narrative has garnered support from billions of people worldwide.
In addition to the Middle East crisis, Putin has previously offered to mediate between Armenia and Azerbaijan in their clashes over Nagorno-Karabakh.
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Russia has also positioned itself as a necessary party in resolving the crisis resulting from Serbia’s military buildup around Kosovo. However, when tensions escalated after Serbian gunmen attacked a Kosovar village, Russia fueled the chaos instead of ensuring peace.
Putin has consistently portrayed Russia as a mediator in various conflicts, including those in Syria, Africa, and the Korean peninsula.
But what is Putin’s motive in stirring up trouble while projecting himself as a peacemaker? It is important to recognize that Western observers are not the primary target audience for Putin’s propaganda. His goal is to manipulate the Global South, where Russia desperately seeks support.
Russia aims to exploit these relationships to expand its economy, gain political capital, and gather allies for its conflict with Ukraine. This year, Putin hosted the second Russia-Africa Summit, and his foreign minister toured Latin America, using the history of colonialism to portray the West as nefarious.
The BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) also held a summit in Johannesburg. Russia and China utilize these groups to undermine the West and promote the illusion of a multipolar world.
It is essential for Westerners to realize that they are not directly competing with Russia in the Global South, but rather in the information space. Kremlin-funded outlets like RT and Sputnik consistently portray Russia as a global force for good, bringing peace and security wherever it goes. They suggest that it is the West, particularly the United States, that is responsible for destabilizing the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.
Russia’s propaganda has been effective in persuading the Global South that the Kremlin is the “good guy” in global affairs, bravely standing up to warmongering Western powers. The influence of this narrative is evident in United Nations votes. Unless American and European partners develop a strategy to counter Russia’s propaganda, we can expect more global instabilities created by Russia.
It would be naive to expect Russia to create stability in the Middle East. The chaos benefits Russia, and it will continue to encourage further escalations when it aligns with its interests. Putin thrives in chaos, and Western countries should not place their trust in him.
Ivana Stradner is a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Jason Smart is a special correspondent for Ukraine’s Kyiv Post.
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