The Biden administration’s steadfast support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression has been laudable. But an inordinate and unwarranted fear of “escalation management” has hamstrung American policy.
Administration officials agonize over whether supplying certain weapons to Ukraine will be seen by the Kremlin as somehow escalatory. As a result, the provision of crucial military hardware like tanks, long-range rockets and fighter jets has been held back — only to eventually be provided without much more than grumbling from Moscow.
Even then, however, the administration persists in setting too many constraints on when and where Kyiv can use U.S. weapons for fear of antagonizing Vladimir Putin.
