[X] Demand the Ukrainian Heartland: If we are going to have any hope of consolidating the new soviet state, we must press for the return of the agriculturally-rich lands of Western Ukraine and German recognition of the Ukrainian Soviet Republic. We know that Germany is fed up with Petliura's government, but also quite reluctant to administer the territories themselves. Their attempt at a coup to place Hetman Pavlo Skorapidskyi in charge has already failed. If we press hard for them to return all the lands east of Rivne, they may buckle.
[X] Secure German non-interference in the caucuses: Ever since the British captured Constantinople, Germany has been cut off from their Turkish ally in the east. Yet with the Entente's prospects looking grim, it might be a prudent idea to get a German guarantee of non-interference in our efforts to reconquer the formerly Russian lands of Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. The former two already look like they may drift naturally into our sphere of influence, while Azerbaijan is in the midst of a war with Armenia and Britain, which has successfully seized Baku.
[X] Reduce Reparations Payments: Germany is sure to demand harsh reparations, and our focus should be on making these as mild as possible. Right now, our peasants are barely producing enough to feed our own country, and overly punitive reparations might very well lead to famine and peasant insurrection.
[X] Rights to the Donbas Coal Fields: The Donbas coal fields are the largest and most productive in Russia. Their reconquest has given us a key source of this vital industrial raw material and allowed our munitions factories to start humming along once more. Giving Germany the resource rights to this coal will slow down our industry somewhat, but it will also give us a vital supply of German marks, which are still competitive on the world market.
[X] Seek Friendly Relations: As a middle path, we might simply send Bryan a note expressing a wish for friendly relations. While this will not put us on the path toward trade or recognition, it may improve American attitudes and open up more informal channels of communication.
[X] Remain uncommitted for now: Some of the commissars point out that the situation in China is not as stable as it might appear. Tensions with Japan are being steadily ratcheted up, and it would be unwise to commit ourselves to close relations with any Chinese faction until our own state is more stable.
[X] Send them to aid Central Siberia: With much of Central Siberia devastated by the conflict with the whites, we might be able to put the left-communists to some use in administering the region. This would give them their first taste of real power, but perhaps the stint in the Siberian cold would temper some of their more utopian ideals and force them to give up their propagandizing for the hard work of governance. If we ever have future use for their skills in propaganda and agitation, they could always be recalled. Surprisingly, Lenin and Martov join together to endorse this plan.
[X] First Soviet Census
[X] Agricultural Potential Survey
