It is worthy of note, though, that Trump had help, in convincing Europe. He could not have done it, without the ruthless attacks of Putin. Vlad delivered the wake-up call, that Russia was still in the empire building by military dominance and take-over game, by invasion of Ukraine and threatening others. NATO then knew, it could be and would be them next, and that the US was no longer the sole guarantor of their freedom.
It was understandable in the immediate aftermath of the fall of the soviet union, for there to be hope that that was NOT the case.
But really, serious adults should have always known that. And set policy accordingly.
Indeed, if one looks at the behavior of Europe in this regard from the end of wwii, to now, it is one of irresponsibility and dependance on US.
For most of that time, they depended on US and were ungrateful about it.
Now, more than ever, they have the ability to defend themselves against a Russia that is a shadow of it's former might.
Trump as much as told them, we would not bail them out (whether we would or not). With a direct example of how Russia was doing business (philosophically same as the old Soviet, Vlad wished to recreate), they had no choice but to fork up money for their own defense or lose to Russia, one nation at a time.
During the Cold War, when the Russia Empire extended to the middle of Germany, and it's slave armies were huge and well controlled,
the few remaining free nations of Europe NEEDED us, they could not deter Russian agression by themselves.
Now, the border of the russian empire is a thousand miles to the east of where it was.
There is no justification for them to be spending 2 ******* percent, when they have a hot war on their border.
TIME TO GROW UP.
