If the US wasn't around, Russia would likely be rolling around most of Eastern Europe today. From 2022 to 2025, America and Europe went dollar for dollar in support of Ukraine. And many of the Euro dollars went to purchasing weapons and defense from the US.

Euro leaders are terrified by this. Europe, which is supposed to have global parity with the big players, was just as much (maybe even more) of a paper tiger as Russia. But unlike Russia they have a big friend who has lots of money and lots of weapons.

For the average European who has only ever know life under the protective wing of NATO (read: America), this is just Tuesday. For the versed European leader, who needs to ensure their country can be safe if America goes away, it's totally harrowing. Even more harrowing when your population doesn't understand the need for defense.

><>If the US wasn't around, Russia would likely be rolling around most of Eastern Europe today. From 2022 to 2025

No one is saying otherwise. Still, I don't see how you can describe Europe as failing. Unless, like I complained in my original comment - you see the world as some kind of race where only one country is "winning" and everyone else is losing(failing).

>> America and Europe went dollar for dollar in support of Ukraine. And many of the Euro dollars went to purchasing weapons and defense from the US.

In terms of military spending, yes. In terms of refugees support and civil expenditure, Europe was obviously ahead. And again, this isn't a race to see who can spend more.

>> Even more harrowing when your population doesn't understand the need for defense.

As a Pole, I don't see this sentiment at all - Poland really understands the need to defend itself, with our spending being allocated accordingly - and importantly, new funds are coming with the specific provisions to prevent them being spent on American technology.

>> of NATO (read: America)

Obviously, America has the largest fighting force on the planet. But are we just going to pretend that UK, France and Germany don't have capable armies which would be capable of defending our eastern flank if needed, including with nuclear deterrent? I know Americans are being fed the stories of NATO being entirely US and no one else, but obviously even cursory inspection shows that this isn't true?