Other disputes, however, will require Ukraine to make some hard choices. One Russian war aim is to “demilitarize” Ukraine, which at present seems to require that Kiev give up offensive military capabilities and maintain a purely defensive posture. Some American analysts, most notably Jennifer Kavanagh of Defense Priorities, have thought hard about what kind and quantity of weapons Ukraine will need to deter Russia from invading again. Using such analyses as a guide, the Trump administration should lobby during negotiations to secure sufficient deterrent capabilities for Ukraine, and it should pressure Kiev to accept caps on weapons that Russia worries could be used against it.
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