When then-President Joe Biden ordered the action, Russia reacted angrily.

The Kremlin wasted no time slamming the US’s involvement. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the decision “reckless, dangerous, aimed at a qualitative change, a qualitative increase in the level of involvement of the United States in this conflict.”

He reaffirmed President Vladimir Putin’s earlier cautions that such backing signifies “direct involvement” of NATO and the United States in the conflict.

Peskov added that “the outgoing administration in Washington intends to take steps to continue adding fuel to the fire and continue to provoke tension around this conflict.”

The two biggest nuclear-armed nations in the world have seen a sharp decline in their diplomatic ties; some believe a new Cold War may be on the horizon.

As U.S. involvement in Ukraine deepens, ripple effects are being felt in other hot