Expert: Trump seeks to drive a wedge between Russia, China by ceding 4 Ukrainian provinces

He told Etemadonline  that Western sanctions against Moscow have pushed Russia closer to Beijing, creating a strategic alignment that the U.S. seeks to weaken.

According to Beheshti-Pour, Trump may be willing to overlook Ukraine’s territorial integrity and allow Russia to retain control over four eastern Ukrainian provinces as a means of loosening Russia’s dependence on China. The logic behind such a move is that easing sanctions on Russia, he said, could reduce its economic and military reliance on Beijing, thereby driving a wedge between the two powers.

The international affairs expert added that European nations, however, view Ukraine’s future as inseparable from the “Russian threat.” He noted: “Accepting the partition of Ukraine would establish a new power balance in Europe—one that contradicts the continent’s strategic interests. The U.S. aims to shape the course of the Ukraine war in a way that not only prevents further Russian-Chinese alignment but also secures and strengthens its own economic and geopolitical interests.”

Beheshti-Pour also points out that Trump has claimed he could end the Ukraine war within a single day—a statement widely regarded as unrealistic and lacking substantive support. However, he stresses that negotiations between Washington and Moscow are not limited to Ukraine alone. A broad range of contentious issues between the two countries would likely shape any potential deal.

Meanwhile, European concerns extend beyond Ukraine itself to the security of the entire continent. The fundamental issue for European leaders is not just the war in Ukraine but the broader perception of Russia as a long-term geopolitical threat, he added.