Former Pentagon official Laura Cooper says a cease-fire is the necessary first step in Ukraine — to halt civilian casualties and set terms for credible negotiations. She outlines Article-5-like guarantees short of NATO, from air-domain measures to a maritime role in the Black Sea, and explains why the U.S. assistance pipeline hasn’t stopped.
What gets Ukraine to durable peace? In this full interview, Laura Cooper argues Putin isn’t ready for good-faith talks, so a cease-fire comes first. She details a practical framework of security guarantees – defined missions for any ground presence, air policing/air-domain awareness, and a Black Sea component to protect shipping.
Cooper breaks down the U.S. assistance pipeline (HIMARS, NASAMS and more via USAI contracts now delivering), why canceling existing orders without military necessity would violate program law, and how Washington and Europe can augment support – including via Russian sovereign assets and the U.S.-Ukraine critical minerals framework. She also assesses the August 18 White House meeting and the diplomatic pressure/sanctions required to bring Moscow to the table.
The following interview was recorded on August 20, 2025, and has been edited for length and clarity.