I agree with this fine article on everything although when it comes to defense spending the free ride given to Europe during the cold war should have ceased in 1991 and along with it NATO. The war in Ukraine was a result of the continued existence of NATO and US neocon, State department and Administration influence and interference. The pushing by the west has put Russia in the same camp as China which could have been avoided but now the EU is obsessed with Russia as a last desperate deflection/distraction from their green theocracy (and central planning) responsible suicidal economic decline.