An Unwinnable War

Washington Needs an Endgame in Ukraine

By Samuel CharapFOREIGN AFFAIRS

Fifteen months of fighting in Ukraine have made clear that neither Moscow nor Kyiv has the capacity to achieve a decisive military victory over the other, Samuel Charap writes in a new essay. Moreover, two key aspects of the war are likely to remain fixed for many years to come: the persistent threat that both sides pose to each other and the unsettled dispute over the areas of Ukraine that Russia has claimed to annex. This means that the war in Ukraine could continue indefinitely, devolving into a devastating years-long conflict that could cost thousands more lives without producing a decisive outcome.

Given these realities, it is now time for Washington and other Western governments to develop a vision for an endgame in Ukraine, Charap argues. “The United States and its allies should be capable of helping Ukraine simultaneously on the battlefield and at the negotiating table,” he writes. “Now is the time to start.”

Read more from Foreign Affairs on where the war in Ukraine is headed:

“Beyond Ukraine’s Offensive” by Michael Kofman and Rob Lee

“The West Needs a New Strategy in Ukraine” by Richard Haass and Charles Kupchan

“What Russia Got Wrong” by Dara Massicot

“Ukraine’s Best Chance”  by Rajan Menon

“How to Get a Breakthrough in Ukraine” by Michael McFaul