海角大神

The escalating fighting in eastern Ukraine has exposed a central strategic fissure between the United States and Germany, two key allies that both have stakes in the conflict.聽

Earlier this week, White House officials signaled their willingness to possibly provide lethal weapons to the embattled Ukrainian forces. Until now, the US hasn't sent missiles or firearms for fear of provoking Russia, which supports the separatist forces. However,聽German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday that Germany would play no part in supplying such arms to Kiev. She instead voiced support for negotiations and a diplomatic solution to the Ukrainian conflict, which has killed at least 5,350 people, the UN reports.聽

"Germany will not support Ukraine with weapons," Ms. Merkel said after meeting with Hungary's prime minister Victor Orban in Budapest.聽Merkel said she prefers the pressure exerted by economic sanctions on Russia and negotiations to "solve or at least mitigate the conflict,鈥� The Associated Press reports.

But US officials say such measures are not enough to deter further aggression by the Russia-backed rebels. Having provided nonlethal aid 鈥� including protective vests, night-vision goggles, and gas masks 鈥� to Ukraine for several months, the US is now considering supplying the country with antitank missiles, small arms, and ammunition.

For the White House, the big question is whether providing聽so-called 鈥渄efensive lethal arms鈥� to Ukraine's military would prompt Russian President Vladimir Putin to reduce his support for the rebels 鈥� or to increase it, further destabilizing the country.

A new report co-authored by eight former American officials helps explain the Obama administration鈥檚 decision to renew the discussion. The report argues that the best way to deter Moscow, and tackle the separatist insurgency, is "by raising risks and costs to Russia of any renewed major offensive." It urges the US to provide $3 billion in military assistance to Ukraine over the next three years, which would allow it to purchase better weapons and military equipment.

"The United States and NATO should seek to create a situation in which the Kremlin considers the option of further military action in or against Ukraine too costly to pursue," the report says.

Some observers in the US and Europe disagree with the report's approach and its focus on military deterrence. Miodrag Soric, an opinion writer for Deutsche Welle, argues that聽arming Ukraine would likely backfire:

Another concern is how weapons provided by the US and NATO to Ukrainian troops would be perceived by the Russian people, many of who already believe that the conflict in Ukraine is a concealed Western bid to contain or weaken Russia. As the editors of Bloomberg View write:

The conflict in eastern Ukraine has displaced 900,000 people since it began in April, according to the United Nations. Indiscriminate shelling and the escalation in fighting have killed at least 224 civilians in the past three weeks alone.