A former senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump has said that Russia informally suggested a geopolitical trade-off in which the United States would be given free rein in Venezuela in exchange for Washington stepping back from Ukraine.
Fiona Hill, who served as a top adviser on Russia and Europe during the Trump administration, stated that Russian officials repeatedly hinted at the idea in 2019. According to Hill, the proposal was never made formally but was conveyed through diplomatic conversations and Russian media narratives that framed the issue as a potential “swap” between the two regions.
Hill said the suggestion was rooted in the concept of spheres of influence, with Russia implying it could reduce support for then-Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro if the U.S. refrained from opposing Russian ambitions in Ukraine. She described the idea as unusual and inappropriate, stressing that U.S. officials rejected any linkage between the two countries.
At the time, the United States maintained that Ukraine and Venezuela were entirely separate matters and aligned with its allies in supporting democratic outcomes in both regions. Hill said she personally delivered that message to Russian officials, making clear that no such deal would be considered.
The comments have resurfaced amid heightened global scrutiny following recent U.S. actions in Venezuela, reigniting debate over whether major powers are reverting to a world order based on territorial influence rather than international law and self-determination.
Hill warned that allowing the perception of such trade-offs risks legitimizing the idea that powerful countries can decide the fate of smaller nations, a principle she said undermines global stability and democratic norms.
The Russian government has condemned recent U.S. actions in Venezuela, while reiterating its opposition to what it describes as American interference in sovereign states.