What is Trump’s Strategy Towards Russia and China?

Separatist and Russian forces began a concerted effort to force Ukrainian troops out of the city on 16–17 January, sparking the battle. Heavy fighting went on until 18 February 2015, when Ukrainian forces retreated from Debaltseve to Artemivsk (present-day Bakhmut).

It was the last major battle during the 2014–2015 phase of the war in Donbas, as the Minsk II ceasefire took effect on 15 February 2015, although fighting continued in Debaltseve for several days after.

Vladimir Putin’s June 2024 terms to start negotiations remain intact:

1. Ukraine must withdraw its troops from the territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, which Russia has annexed
2. Ukraine must formally renounce its intention to join NATO
3. Ukraine must accept the loss of Crimea and parts of Donbas
4. Ukraine must undergo “de-militarization,” which implies drastic disarmament
5. Ukraine must agree to “de-Nazification,” suggesting potential regime change and restrictions on expressing Ukrainian national identity
6. Ukraine must legally guarantee the rights and interests of “Russian-speaking citizens” in the remaining parts of Ukraine

I think the US delegation is in for a rude awakening when they discover that Russia is not likely to compromise on any of these points in light of being scammed under the Minsk II agreement.

But the US has another agenda in mind in trying to reach a deal with Russia — it wants to split Russia from China so that it can focus on the Chinese threat. To this end, the Trump administration is proposing a massive new sale of weapons to Taiwan and is erasing the One China policy. I doubt that Russia has any interest in playing the US game…

Larry C Johnson is a Managing Partner of BERG Associates, former CIA Officer and State Department Counter Terrorism official.