The exaggeration of the Russian threat, and the additional problem of dealing with China, has led to record-setting defense budgets with no sign of easing the burden. We are the most active military force in the world; the leading provider of arms to the world; and the only nation capable of projecting power anywhere in the world. And we spend more on defense and intelligence than the entire global community.

We would do well to accept Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s efforts to get world leaders to “cool the talk of war.” “Talk” of a diplomatic variety has never been more urgent. There needs to be a revival of the NATO-Russian Founding Act from 1997 in order to create a European security framework for the 21st century on the basis of equal security.