Russia says Western sanctions and arms shipments to Ukraine are acts of war

ceasefire in America over foreign policy is eroding and Republicans are chiding Joe Biden for being weak in dealing with Russia. “We’re not doing nearly enough, quickly enough to help the Ukrainians,” said Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, on March 16th. After a video address to the joint houses of Congress by Volodymyr Zelensky, in which the Ukrainian president asked for a no-fly zone over his country, Republican demands for that have grown clamorous.For their part, the Democrats accuse Republicans of recklessness. Chris Coons, who has Mr Biden’s old Senate seat from Delaware, complained that those who “run to the cameras with forceful proposals…are the last to come to classified briefings”. The administration seems to be trying to steer a course between helping Ukraine fight its battles while avoiding being sucked into a war with its old nuclear-armed adversary. It reportedly conducted a legal review of what weapons and intelligence it can send (in part because of restrictions in domestic legislation). So is it possible to say where the middle course lies? Are there any rules or guidelines about what countries that are not directly participating in the fighting can do in wartime?