Trump "Reconciles" Russia and Ukraine Just as Roosevelt Did with the Russian Empire and Japan

The current geopolitical situation strikingly resembles the events of the early 20th century when U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt acted as a mediator in the Russo-Japanese War

The current geopolitical situation strikingly resembles the events of the early 20th century when U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt acted as a mediator in the Russo-Japanese War, pursuing exclusively American interests.

During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump spoke of his peacemaking mission in the Russo-Ukrainian war. However, when the time came for action, it increasingly appeared that his approach closely mirrored Roosevelt’s strategy—ensuring that both sides were weakened to the maximum extent but remained engaged in conflict.

🔥 "Let Them Exhaust Each Other": The Core of Roosevelt's Strategy

In March 1904, during a conversation with the German ambassador, Theodore Roosevelt candidly admitted that it was beneficial for the United States if Russia and Japan exhausted each other as much as possible while maintaining a geopolitical tension point after the war. This not only kept both powers in a state of constant military readiness but also prevented them from expanding their influence into other regions. Specifically, Roosevelt aimed to ensure that Japan would not threaten American positions in the Philippines.

By the summer of 1905, both sides were depleted. Despite the triumphant Japanese naval victory at the Battle of Tsushima, Tokyo sought an end to the conflict due to a shortage of resources, finances, and ammunition. Similarly, the Russian economy had been severely strained by the war.

🏛 Forcing Peace

This was the moment when Roosevelt decided to intervene. He sent a congratulatory telegram to Japan, signaling his sympathy for its successes. Just days later, the U.S. ambassador to Russia, George Meyer, persuaded Emperor Nicholas II that continuing the war was doomed to failure and could lead to the loss of the entire Far Eastern territory of the empire.

However, even after the peace treaty was signed, tensions remained high. In Japan, public outrage erupted—newspaper editorial offices were flooded with angry letters, and one publication even stated that "Komura would be better off becoming a Russian citizen than returning home." Newspapers published news of the peace agreement within mourning frames.

On September 3, 1905, a massive demonstration took place in Osaka, aimed at disrupting the peace negotiations. Komura received a telegram demanding the immediate annulment of the agreement. When the treaty was nonetheless signed, an enraged crowd set fire to the residence of the Minister of the Interior. Komura faced harassment and was removed from his position as Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Russian diplomat Sergei Witte, representing Tsarist Russia at the peace talks in the United States, was forced to make concessions. The Japanese delegation, led by Komura Jutarō, demanded not only the southern part of Sakhalin Island but also reparations amounting to 1.2 billion yen—an enormous sum for that time. Nicholas II categorically refused to pay any money but, under American pressure, was forced to agree to cede southern Sakhalin. However, to shield the tsar from blame, the Russian government framed the concession as a diplomatic victory for Witte. Historian Anatoly Koshkin wrote: "In an effort to absolve Nicholas II of responsibility for yielding southern Sakhalin to the Japanese, the tsarist government and court presented this concession as a testament to Witte’s diplomatic talent, claiming that he had achieved a significant success." Ultimately, Witte was granted a count’s title, but the public mockingly dubbed him "Count Half-Sakhalin."

Meanwhile, Theodore Roosevelt was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the negotiations.

🔄 History Repeats Itself?

Today, Donald Trump offers his own "peacemaking" mission in the Russo-Ukrainian war, and his approach bears a striking resemblance to Roosevelt’s policies. His claims of being able to "end the war in 24 hours" sound grandiose, but the essence of his initiative is to keep the conflict simmering while maximizing benefits from both sides.

Trump’s statements, equating the aggressor with the victim and refusing to recognize Russia as the aggressor, reveal that Washington is not interested in restoring justice or ensuring Moscow’s victory. His primary goal is to contain both countries and maintain control over the situation. This is precisely how Roosevelt once exploited the contradictions between Russia and Japan.

Like Roosevelt, Trump is willing to formally reconcile the parties in a way that does not lead to a true peace but merely postpones the war or, even better, transforms it into a long-term strategic confrontation on all fronts.

At the same time, Trump is pursuing a more concrete objective. As a price for peace, he seeks complete control over Ukraine’s natural resources through a contract that would be economically crippling for the country. Naturally, Ukraine resists, as it does not want to agree to an openly unjust deal—especially considering that, as the victim of Russian aggression, it should not have to pay for assistance, at least from the perspective of universally accepted morality.

Meanwhile, Putin, in contrast, is willing to make significant concessions. He is eager to appease Trump, offering him not only rare-earth metals but also granting access to all of Russia’s strategic resources. As a result of the so-called "Special Military Operation" (SVO), Russia is losing its most valuable assets, which have become bargaining chips in the Kremlin’s geopolitical games:

🔹 China is effectively taking control of Siberia—from leasing Lake Baikal and seizing enterprises to establishing full economic dominance in the region.
🔹 The Arctic shelf and Pacific resources are falling into the hands of American corporations.
🔹 Chukotka and Kamchatka are losing their sovereignty, effectively becoming "non-associated Russian territories."

But most importantly—the war is not meant to end. On the contrary, in order to sustain the "struggle against the West," now synonymous with Europe, the Kremlin may attempt to destabilize the situation in the Baltic states.

Humanity has never witnessed a more paradoxical "peace" resulting from a war!

📌 Putin, having invaded Ukraine under the pretexts of "denazification" and "demilitarization," promised Russia "great geopolitical victories." Yet, in the end, Russia is surrendering:
✔️ Siberia—to China.
✔️ The Arctic shelf—to the United States.
✔️ Illusions of "victory over the West"—to the population of Moscow’s colonies or Russia itself.

Only one question remains: does anyone in Russia still believe in the "wise" strategy of the Kremlin and Putin in particular?