Russia's Ottoman bargain misread British interests

The Russian leadership viewed Western conduct as hypocritical and expected Britain to accept a partition of Ottoman power. An offer involving Egypt and Cyprus looked valuable on paper but was strategically unattractive to Britain. Russian control farther south would remove an Ottoman buffer, threaten Mediterranean routes, and bring Russian armies closer to both the Suez route and India. Britain therefore saw a new strategic liability instead of adequate compensation. The proposed bargain failed to account for the other state's independent interests.