Russia as a mediator in international armed conflicts: the use of mediation and coercion as an instrument for Russian foreign policy

Abstract: Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, mediation in armed conflicts have become a popular way of conflict resolution and a valuable tool for states to promote their interests.The paper argues that mediation has been instrumentalised by Russia and has been used as atool in expanding Russian foreign policy in the Russian Near and Far Abroad. Coercion through military support is a cornerstone in Russian mediation strategy as it is used to maximise the leverage over the adversaries in the conflict and secure the best outcome for both Russia and the party that it supports. The paper will use the realism theory to examine four different cases where Russia was a third-party mediator, and it will try to shed light on the interests that Russia pursued through its participation in the mediation as well as the role of coercion in the Russian mediation strategy.