John Mearsheimer on why the West is principally responsible for the Ukrainian crisis
EconomistJUL 2022
Germany, Norway Sign Defense Pact
Above: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store held a press conference at the Federal Chancellery in Berlin on July 21, 2025. Image copyright: Carsten Koall/picture alliance/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
This defense pact represents essential European unity against Russian aggression. The bilateral treaty strengthens NATO's collective defense while addressing critical infrastructure vulnerabilities that Russia has repeatedly targeted. Enhanced surveillance of strategic maritime corridors protects vital supply lines.
Establishment-critical narrative
Non-NATO agreements risk escalating tensions unnecessarily and could provoke further Russian responses. The focus on military buildup diverts resources from diplomatic solutions that might end the Ukraine conflict more effectively, for example. Alternative pacts may undermine broader NATO coordination structures.
Pro-Russia narrative
These defense pacts reflect NATO’s expansionist paranoia, not real threats from Moscow. Russia has repeatedly called for security guarantees and diplomacy, but Europe escalates militarization at Washington’s urging. Monitoring Russian maritime activity revives Cold War fear-mongering to justify arms sales, while ignoring that NATO encroachment near Russian borders helped spark the Ukraine war.