This week, as President Trump prepares to discuss potential land swaps with Vladimir Putin, one has to wonder—can he actually reclaim any American land?
The discussions scheduled for Friday in Alaska represent a significant chance for mending U.S.-Russia relations. I mean, it’s important to foster good ties with our neighbors. So, Trump’s initiative to mediate peace in a conflict that never should have occurred seems, well, reasonable.
Still, trying to rebuild relationships during talks about Ukraine’s territory feels like a bit of a frozen situation—it’s complicated. Issues persist between these nations right where they’re meeting. Acknowledging and addressing these challenges could pave the way for a better future for both sides.
Speaking of history, just yesterday marked the 144th anniversary of the discovery of Wrangel Island. It’s this massive chunk of land in the Arctic Ocean, about 270 nautical miles northeast of Alaska, roughly the size of Delaware and Rhode Island combined. It was discovered during a patrol by the USRC Corwin and that’s a notable milestone.
A landing party led by well-known naturalist John Muir even claimed the island for the United States back then. Further investigations followed soon after, leading to its formal inclusion in U.S. records.
However, the story took a dark turn 40 years later when the Bolsheviks seized it in 1924. American settlers there were arrested and taken as prisoners, with some, as tragic it is, meeting unfortunate fates in custody.
The U.S. didn’t even establish diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union until 1933, and the ongoing Russian claims to the island were never acknowledged.
The same situation arose with the Long Islands to the west. They were discovered by the USS Jeannette crew, who got lost in the Arctic, and rescuers from the Corwin were dispatched to help.
Today, Wrangel Island holds strategic importance, acting like a choke point for naval routes in the North Sea. As leaders discuss disarmament in Ukraine, maybe it would be wise to demilitarize the area and transform it into a joint U.S.-Russia scientific zone dedicated to peace?
On the flip side, if the U.S. is going to keep conceding to Russian rule, it seems fair to demand compensation for what was taken by prior Soviet forces. Perhaps this could be worked through frozen sovereign assets, which amount to about $210 billion—definitely something that could assist American taxpayers.
For anyone dismissing these historical matters as trivial, a visit to Annapolis, Maryland could provide some perspective. There, atop the hills of a cemetery overlooking the U.S. Naval Academy, lies a monument dedicated to the USS Jeannette Arctic Exploration Mission, remembering the men who lost their lives during that journey.
Although largely forgotten today, the story of the Jeannette and its crew was once hugely documented and celebrated across America—it holds a significant place in our maritime history.
Back then, the discovery of new islands was actually something that was greeted with excitement in Russia. Emperor Alexander III even hosted a warm reception for survivors in St. Petersburg.
As Trump focuses on defending our hemisphere, particularly the Arctic, safeguarding these outer islands will be crucial. We’re likely to see more commerce and geopolitical competition in the coming decades; failing to secure these areas could put our home front at risk.
Others are catching on as well. Just last week, five Chinese Arctic research vessels were spotted moving through the Bering Sea, sailing by past defense facilities that have either been abandoned or are no longer active.
The history of these lost Arctic islands for America is unsettling, marking a time when the U.S. faced hostile forces yet failed to reclaim territory.
Still, there’s a glimmer of hope for negotiation. Finding a peaceful resolution to the situation concerning Lengel and Delong Island could mark a positive turning point for U.S.-Russian relations.
