In recent weeks, much international attention has focused on the war between Russia and Ukraine, and US President Donald Trump’s efforts to bring the fighting to an end.

Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Hamas, trade wars between America’s friends and foes —  there has been no shortage of crises around the world. At times, it feels like several months’ worth of geopolitical events have taken place in just the past week alone.

This week has been eventful in Washington regarding America’s European policy, with several leaders visiting to hold high-level meetings.

While most of the fighting between Ukraine and Russia has occurred on the former’s land, significant military operations have also taken place in Russian territory.

The single biggest foreign policy disaster of the Biden administration was the chaotic and deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan in the summer of 2021, which fundamentally altered how the US was perceived globally.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte addressed the European Parliament last week with a clear message: Europe isn’t spending enough on defense and the new US president will not like it.