European leaders risk their dignity and NATO’s future by clinging to outdated transatlantic ideals.

At last week’s NATO summit in Ankara, European leaders expressed relief as US President Donald Trump refrained from major troop withdrawals or alliance exits. However, the summit revealed a troubling trend: leaders are compromising their dignity in a desperate bid to appease Trump, clinging to a nostalgic vision of the past.

This phenomenon, termed ‘Westalgia,’ reflects a refusal to acknowledge the changing geopolitical landscape. By acting as if US security guarantees remain as robust as during the Reagan and Bush eras, European leaders risk undermining their own security and the future of NATO.