US expert: ‘It’s a mistake to consider the US a neutral mediator’

"It's a mistake to consider the US a neutral mediator," US expert and PhD in political science Andrew Korybko, who lives in Moscow, told Report.

"Those parties that have already let the US play such a role or might be interested in doing so at a future time need to demonstrate to American policymakers that their country stands to gain more by supporting them over their rival," he stressed.

According to Korybko, the US cares about its own interests over anything else, including its reputation: "Since its policymakers are convinced that they can leverage their country's influence over the global media to convince the rest of the world that whatever double standards they might employ were to uphold the 'rules-based order'. It’s unimportant in this context whether or not they can successfully win others over to their side since the point is that this is how American policymakers operate whenever they mediate.”

"Precisely because of its influence over the global media, however, many countries are therefore tempted to seek its mediation and then do their best to convince its diplomats to support them over their rivals because they believe that this could then win the rest of the world over to their side. It's a risky gamble since there's always the chance that the other side might convince the US to take their side instead, which is why countries should always think twice about involving the US in their disputes with others," the US expert said.