Russia will be required to disgorge these acquisitions as a condition of normalizing its relations with the West. But Putin will most likely try to prop up eastern Ukraine’s separatists as long as he can – perhaps with military assistance disguised as humanitarian aid – and will absolutely refuse to give up Crimea.
因此，我们已经隐约看到了结局——普京既无法留住战利品（克里米亚和控制说俄语的东乌克兰），也无法全身而退。俄罗斯将要求吐出已经获得的东西，作为与西方关系正常化的条件。但只要有可能，普京就会挑动东乌克兰分裂分子——也许是以打着人道主义援助旗号进行的军事支持进行——也决不会放弃克里米亚。