Medvedev questions suitability of US to provide ‘effective’ conflict mediation

Deputy Head of Russia’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday questioned the suitability of the US in providing “effective” mediation in “all situations.”

“It’s hardly fair to assume that a country that steals presidents and starts conflicts like this can act as an effective mediator in all situations,” Medvedev, who also served as Russia’s president, said at an educational forum in Moscow.

His remarks appeared to refer to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife by US forces in January. Maduro and his wife were transported to New York and later appeared in court on drug trafficking charges. Both pleaded not guilty.

Medvedev made the comments in response to a question about whether the US is currently fulfilling a mediator role in resolving complex conflicts, saying it is “unlikely that such a role would be easy to handle.”

He added that it cannot be denied that “at least” the current administration of President Donald Trump is “trying to do something in this direction.”

Medvedev also criticized the administration of former US President Joe Biden, claiming it “simply harnessed the wheel of war, the harness of war, and financed the conflict to the maximum extent.”