A strong diplomatic backdrop in 2019 has resurfaced discussions about a possible "exchange" between Russia and the United States, centered on the fate of Venezuela and Ukraine.
According to former Donald Trump adviser Fiona Hill, Moscow had suggested at the time that it could withdraw support for President Nicolás Maduro if Washington gave Russia a free hand in Ukraine.
Hill indicated during testimony to Congress that the then-Russian ambassador, Anatoly Antonov, had made repeated allusions to this "swap deal."
The idea was based on a possible return of the "Monroe Doctrine", where the US would dominate the Western Hemisphere and Russia would have its influence in Eastern Europe.
At the time, President Donald Trump had sent his adviser to Moscow to make it clear that Ukraine and Venezuela were two entirely different issues.
The White House at the time rejected any such bargain, taking a firm stance in defense of Ukraine's sovereignty and recognizing the opposition in Venezuela.
However, these details are now circulating rapidly again, especially after the recent US operation to capture Maduro.
According to experts, the latest US moves in Venezuela could give Russia one more argument to justify its plans in Ukraine, claiming the division of spheres of influence between the great powers.