The U.S. will send antitank weaponry to Ukraine. Here are 4 big questions.

The Trump administration last week announced updated sanctions on Russian individuals and companies, a reminder that the conflict in eastern Ukraine remains unresolved. In late December, the administration decided to begin supplying antitank missiles to Ukraine, a reversal of an Obama-era decision not to provide lethal weapons to this conflict.

Since 2015, the conflict in eastern Ukraine has continued to simmer, with no apparent political solution on the horizon. The seizure of territory has largely ended, leaving both sides vexed at their failure to achieve their objectives. The U.S. decision in late 2017 to provide the Ukrainian government advanced Javelin antitank missiles — a move applauded by a number of former policymakers and think tanks — opens up a few big questions: