It is quite apparent that President Trump and Vice President JD Vance harbor a bit of disdain for the current political leaders of Europe. It is also clear that the president and his deputy are not shy about openly expressing those feelings whenever they get the opportunity. Even then, the amount of unflattering language directed toward Europe in the recently released U.S. National Security Strategy (NSS) came as a shock to many.

Despite the cold shoulder treatment from President Trump for much of this year, European leaders have tried to tread carefully in their dealings with him. They know they have to do whatever is necessary to keep America onside to help defend Ukraine against Russian aggression. Preservation of Europe’s economic relationship with America is also a top priority for the continent’s politicians because their national economies are now operating on shaky grounds. After some initial tough-talking during the tariff negotiations with the U.S. earlier this year, EU leaders decided against taking the retaliatory measures they had been threatening.

But one has to wonder: How much more mistreatment can Europe take from its traditional ally? President Trump and his team have obviously taken the view that in today’s geopolitical contest, America can go it alone and doesn’t need Europe all that much. It may not be a divorce in practical terms, but the snub must sting badly. Adding insult to that injury, The Economist recently wrote this: “On its worst reading, you could see [the NSS] as an American suggestion that Europe should fall within Russia’s sphere of influence.”

That was quite a startling sentence to read. Sphere-of-influence thinking appears to be back in vogue. But how is it even remotely possible that anyone would deem today’s Russia qualified to have dominion over any region, let alone a continent like Europe?

Russia has vast potential in the resources it possesses and could very well be a great power if it made the right choices. Unfortunately for its citizens, some of whom I count as good friends, their leaders spend all their time making guns instead of butter. Europe has a collective GDP that is ten times the size of Russia’s. Does economic might not matter anymore? If the size of a country’s nuclear arsenal is now viewed as the primary determinant of its status on the world stage, then perhaps North Korea should start receiving invitations to big-league summits.

It felt strange to read that interpretation of the NSS in a British newspaper. Is that a sign of how low confidence has fallen within Europe? How does the continent plan to get its mojo back?