Critics say the U.S. aid to Ukraine is a slow drip as China and Russia prepare joint exercises in Asia

(Originally published Aug. 22 in “What in the World“) A group of retired U.S. generals and other former officials are calling U.S. President Joe Biden’s bluff. Saying the U.S. is only providing enough weapons to Ukraine to ensure a stalemate, they are urging the White House to send more or risk allowing Russia to win.

Biden has been careful to send just enough weapons to Ukraine to deny Russia victory, but not enough to prompt Russian President Vladimir Putin to launch attacks against the Eastern European members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, triggering war with the U.S., or to deploy nuclear weapons against Ukraine.

To that end, the U.S. Defense Dept. just unveiled another $775 million in weapons for Ukraine. The latest gift bag includes more missiles, howitzers, drones, and mine-clearing vehicles.

Fresh from an extended show of force around Taiwan, China’s military will join exercises with Russian forces in eastern Siberia later this month. It’s been reported that the maneuvers will also include forces from Russian satellites Belarus and Tajikistan as well as Mongolia and, worryingly, Quad member India. It’s unclear how India’s participation will jibe with its recent protests of China sending a warship to Sri Lanka to conduct what Beijing calls “scientific research.”

Though not included in the joint maneuvers, North Korea is still exercising its own military. The hermit state test-launched two cruise missiles last Wednesday.