As Russia continues to mount tens of thousands of troops on the Ukrainian border, Vladimir Putin says he is seeking a binding commitment from the United States that Ukraine will never become a NATO member.

Sounds a lot like blackmail to be sure. And it is also a nonstarter.

And if trouble on one front wasn't enough, Alyaksandr Lukashenka announced this week that Belarus would not stand aside in a conflict between Russia and Ukraine. And to drive the point home, the Belarusian Defense Ministry announced that it would be holding joint military exercises with Russia on its border with Ukraine.

With U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinkin in Europe to meet with NATO and OSCE foreign ministers, Russia is escalating its brinkmanship in Ukraine. And Ukraine is now facing threats on two fronts.

On this week's Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks to military analyst Michael Kofman of the CNA Corporation about what happens next.