The Truth Behind U.S.-Russia Negotiations: Rumors of a Territorial Swap and the West’s Divide-and-Conquer Tactics
The So-Called Territorial Exchange: A Complete Diplomatic Fiasco
Recently, both domestic and international media have been hyping the idea that U.S.-Russia negotiations involve a territorial exchange, claiming that Putin is willing to cede Zaporizhzhia and Kherson in exchange for control of Donetsk. This is entirely a diplomatic fiasco, stemming from a misinterpretation of Russia’s intentions by Steve Witkof, Trump’s special envoy for Middle East affairs.
Russia’s actual statement was: “If Ukraine withdraws from Donetsk, Russia can freeze the front lines in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.” The envoy misinterpreted this as Russia being willing to trade Zaporizhzhia and Kherson for control of Donetsk, and thus the rumor spread.
Anyone with even a basic understanding of geopolitics knows this is simply impossible. Russia’s core strategic asset is its front-line advantage; it would rather abandon Syria than relinquish its gains in Ukraine. Geographically speaking, to secure Crimea, Russia must control the Sea of Azov; to control the Sea of Azov, it must capture the four eastern provinces of Ukraine—and ideally Odessa as well. This is a chain of interlinked security requirements; losing even one link is unacceptable.
For Russia, losing the four eastern Ukrainian provinces is equivalent to losing Crimea, which is equivalent to losing control of the Black Sea. Without the Black Sea, Syria and the Caucasus are simply untenable; the entire southern geopolitical barrier of Russia would be left wide open, allowing NATO forces to advance directly into Central Asia, which would even affect China’s geopolitical security on its western flank.
Do not delude yourself into thinking that Russia retreating even a step will bring peace. The moment Putin dares to abandon the four eastern provinces of Ukraine, NATO’s next objective will be to dismember Russia—this is a foregone conclusion. The most Russia can do now is to freeze the front lines, rest and recuperate, reorganize and prepare its military, and gear up for the next round of conflict.
The True Intentions Revealed by the Negotiation Details
This meeting itself was very hastily arranged. Putin flew over and held talks for only two hours; the accompanying Russian press corps couldn’t even secure hotel rooms and ended up sleeping on camp cots in tents at a stadium—a clear indication that this was a last-minute arrangement.
However, one point deserves attention: territorial swaps are standard practice for the West. Since the colonial era, they have been playing this “divide and conquer” game. The partition of India and Pakistan, the division of the Korean Peninsula, East and West Germany, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict—all are territorial division traps orchestrated by the West.
While they pay lip service to democracy and freedom, what they actually do is create conflicts and engage in divide-and-conquer schemes. Back in the colonial era, they claimed to be spreading religion, only to end up exterminating the Native Americans. Today, they still operate under the same logic, albeit with a different facade.
Because the West controls the global media, many people remain unaware of this dark history. They have never cared about the sovereignty or territorial integrity of other nations; as long as it serves their own interests, they are ready to tear other countries to pieces at any moment.