Marko Papic on NATO and Germany defense

Ultimately, the architects of NATO – almost exclusively American – were not stupid.  They created a geopolitical architecture that – in the words of NATO’s first General Secretary Lord Ismay – was meant to “keep Americans in, Russians out, and Germans down.”  This has been an extraordinarily beneficial arrangement for the US, giving Washington an important geographical anchor on the Eurasian continent while forcing Europe to be largely subservient to US national interests.  Europe was effectively left in a permanent state of geopolitical adolescence.  The war in Ukraine ultimately illustrates that reality.  By waking up Germans to this reality, President Trump has ensured that Berlin – and Europe by extension – is no longer satisfied with staying down.

~ Marko Papic, "Europe’s Crisopportunity: Trump, Putin, And The Geopolitical Gambit," BCA Research, March 2025