NATO strengthens presence in Eastern Europe 0:58
(CNN Spanish) --
Once again, as in the worst moments of the Cold War, Europe is the focus of an escalation of tensions between the United States and Russia, owners of the two most powerful arsenals in the world.
But now the center of the conflict has moved further east and precisely to the territory of one of the former socialist republics, with a close historical link and a common border with Russia: Ukraine.
The country has been at odds with Russia since at least Moscow's annexation of Crimea in 2014, which led to an ongoing armed conflict between Ukrainians and pro-Russian rebels, and recently Kiev has been drawing closer to Europe and especially the Organization of the North Atlantic Treaty (NATO), whose most powerful member is the United States.
ANALYSIS |
Biden Ramps Up Pressure as Putin Considers Ukraine Invasion
An F-35 fighter, the most modern of the United States Air Force.
In recent months, Russia has been amassing troops and materials on the border with Ukraine, and the drums of war are beating across Europe as the United States considers a deployment to the region.
An open war between the two countries seems unlikely due to the same logic that has been maintained since the Cold War between Washington and Moscow: their nuclear arsenals would ensure "mutually assured destruction."
But its inventories of conventional weapons are no less impressive.
A Russian T-72-B3 tank during exercises in southern Russia in 2020. (Credit: DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images)
How does America's military might compare to Russia's?
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Here's a look at the armed forces of both countries:
United StatesRussiaUkraine
