The joint exercises are not unusual, but the latest drills have been dubbed by NATO as Russia’s largest deployment to Belarus since the Cold War. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to end the Ukraine situation are still underway. On Thursday, Russian and Belarusian forces will begin a 10-day large-scale military drill in Belarus. The drills came amid escalating concerns over Russia’s force buildup near its Ukrainian border. The “Allied Resolve drills” are Russia’s largest deployment to ex-Soviet Belarus since the Cold War, according to NATO. The joint exercises are not unusual, but the latest drill…