NEW YORK – The escalating conflict in Ukraine between the Western-backed government and Russian-backed separatists has focused attention on a fundamental question: What are the Kremlin’s long-term objectives? Though Russian President Vladimir Putin’s immediate goal may have been limited to regaining control of Crimea and retaining some influence in Ukrainian affairs, his longer-term ambition is much bolder.
纽约—正在乌克兰逐渐升级的冲突——一方是西方支持的政府，另一方是俄罗斯支持的分裂主义者——让人们开始关注一个根本问题：克里姆林宫的长期目标是什么？尽管俄罗斯总统普京的即期目标可能仅仅是重新掌握克里米亚的控制权并保持对乌克兰事务的某些影响力，但其长期野心远不仅于此。