"Washington has sobered up faster than Europe, which still relies on its old alibis."
U.S. President Donald Trump is finally pushing back against the failing Russian regime and paving the way for what few expected just weeks ago: a swift end to the war in Ukraine. This is reported by geopolitical strategist Mark Brolin for The Telegraph.
"Trump's pivot consists of two parts. First, he has made it clear that Europe must stop living off American taxpayers and take primary responsibility for its own security. This has been long overdue," emphasized the author.
According to Brolin, for an entire generation, European governments have relied on U.S. money, even as European energy companies continued to buy Russian oil.
"Trump was mocked for saying this during his first term and insisting that NATO members meet their spending commitments. Now, no one is laughing," noted the commentator.
Secondly, the strategist believes that Trump has abandoned the cold-war notion that Russia is so dangerous that a Third World War must be avoided.
"Russia is a weak, unstable, rapidly declining state, whose sphere of influence has been shrinking for decades. The invasion of Ukraine aimed to halt this decline, but it has only accelerated it. The lands captured at great cost do not compensate for the collapse of Russian influence in Central Asia, the Middle East, and the rest of Europe," analyzes Brolin.
The American leader has also begun discussing supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles. His meeting with Zelensky at the White House indicated that the U.S. president likely needs convincing; however, it is already significant that he acknowledged the possibility of supplying these missiles, added the author.
"With Tomahawks now in the conversation, the more serious risk of escalation has finally been placed where it belongs: against Russia, not Ukraine. The Kremlin's bluff has been called. The sound is not a bear's roar, but a flinch - and, one might assume, a nervous rustling in the corridors of Russian power," emphasized the commentator from The Telegraph.
According to Brolin, this is the factor that much of Europe still does not understand. For many years, it was believed that Russia was so strong that only the U.S. could contain it. However, the truth is that Russia is so systematically weak that moral clarity, targeted pressure, and support for Ukraine's asymmetric strengths can change both the battlefield and Russian policy.
"Ironically, Washington has sobered up faster than Europe, which still relies on its old alibis," added the author of the publication.
The strategist noted that energy is now a test of resilience for Europe. It is known that the EU banned seaborne imports of Russian oil in 2022, but left exceptions for pipelines that Hungary and Slovakia still use.
"Even in 2025, several EU states increased their purchases of Russian energy (LNG) compared to 2024. Imports from France rose, as did imports from the Netherlands and Belgium. Hungary and Slovakia remained major buyers of oil and pipeline gas. Europe publicly expressed moral condemnations, privately rationalized its actions, and outrageously helped replenish the Kremlin's military budget," reminded Brolin.
The publication's commentator believes that Europe must stop justifying its ineptitude, rebuild its arms stockpile, and most importantly - put an end to the energy 'hypocrisis.'
"Hungarian and Slovak exceptions for oil cannot be permanent. France and other countries buying Russian gas must explain how funding the Kremlin today aligns with their rhetoric about liberating Ukraine. Align words with actions, and Putin's options will shrink even further. He is already exhausting his resources faster than many realize," assured the expert.
The author of the publication concluded:
"Wars never end with clear, flawless narratives. They end when ammunition, soldiers, and money run out. HAMAS understood this. Putin will soon understand it too."
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