The war of words between the two nuclear-armed superpowers has rekindled Cold War levels of brinksmanship, suspicion and gamesmanship. It also revives questions about whether the U.S. military can handle another large-scale fight, given its aging equipment and reliance on volunteer conscripts.

The United States has the world’s largest military budget and a global network of bases, giving it the technological edge over Russia. But that does not mean the USA is invincible. In a conventional war, which both nations have in their arsenals, the Russian army would be much more successful than the American one.

But a conventional war between the two countries is unlikely. In most cases, political leaders want to avoid a direct military conflict between NATO and Russia, and most wars end with diplomacy and negotiations that result in a negotiated settlement. The White House has already started to pressure Putin with sanctions targeting a handful of banks, oligarchs, political elites, government-owned enterprises and Putin himself.

In terms of the weapons they possess, the US has a vastly superior Navy and Air Force, plus a better quality ground army, Marine Corps and overall logistics. The US also outperforms Russia in scientific research, with the USA ranking first in entomology and aerospace engineering, and second in genetics and medical sciences.

Former Vice President and current Republican presidential hopeful Mike Pence says that, if elected, he would make sure Ukraine receives whatever military aid is needed to turn back the Russian invasion. In an appearance on the Hugh Hewitt Show, Pence said that Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine is “not just warfare. It’s evil,” and he promised that as president, he would ensure Ukraine gets all the military aid it needs.