Politics from the New Statesman Russia suggested the US “swap” Venezuela for Ukraine
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Jan 6, 2026 
Fiona Hill, a former senior director for Europe and Russia on the U.S. National Security Council, discusses Russia's surprising 2019 proposal to trade Venezuela for a U.S. easing in Ukraine. She details U.S. efforts to oust Maduro and examines Russia's investments in Venezuela. Hill critiques Trump-era policies and their geopolitical implications, highlighting how they could embolden adversaries like China. She warns that such trade-off talk undermines support for Ukraine and critiques the dependency of the UK on U.S. security strategies.
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Russia's 'Swap' Proposal In 2019
- Russia proposed trading off influence: ease support for Venezuela if the U.S. eased on Ukraine.
- Fiona Hill says the idea surfaced in 2019 and was largely ignored at the time.
Venezuela As A Russian Lever
- Russia used Venezuela for geopolitical leverage, deploying personnel and protecting oil interests.
- Hill highlights Rosneft's investments and Russian disinformation efforts in Spanish-language media.
Blunt Russian Messaging To The U.S.
- Russian officials publicly suggested the U.S. focus on its hemisphere while Russia focused on Ukraine.
- Hill describes blunt messaging from Moscow nudging the United States away from Ukraine.