What may have been Stalin's motive for negotiating with France and England in the Spring of 1939?

Answer 1

When Stalin replaced the Commissar of Foreign affairs, Maxim Litvinov with Vyacheslav Molotov, that may have been a clue as to Stalin's true intentions with regards to the negotiations with England and France for a three part collective defense pact. Since Litinov was Jewish and a solid anti-German diplomat, removing him and bringing in Molotov may have signaled Stalin's intent to eventually discuss a treaty with Hitler.Because Stalin knew that the West would never agree to his demands concerning a defense pact, he continued the negotiations in order to apply pressure on Hitler for a better deal that would benefit the USSR and the Nazi's. And, Molotov would have been a better negotiator with Germany rather than the Jewish anti-German Litvinov.