Prof. Glenn Diesen : NATO Taunting Putin

European leaders want to defeat Russia and avoid a political settlement that freezes the conflict.

Europe cannot maintain its own security or NATO without the US acting as a pacifier for internal leadership competition.

NATO provides intelligence, picks targets, and operates missiles, leaving little role for Ukrainians.

New weapon systems pose serious threats and tensions are ramping up in the Arctic zone.

The northern sea route is a new flashpoint because it falls outside US control, creating a corridor Russia wants to develop with China and India.

Russia must restore deterrence by escalating and mirroring NATO, as it views NATO expansion as an existential threat.

The US loss in Iran exposes limits to US power, challenging the post-Cold War perception of unlimited American capability.

Article 5 is not an automatic obligation to use force, and the US likely wouldn't risk nuclear war over Baltic aggression.