European countries are much stronger than they imagine

New Europe Is As Divided About Russia As 

Old Europe — And That's Bad For Everyone

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Before the 2003 Iraq war, Donald Rumsfeld, America's defence secretary, praised "new Europe" as pro-American, unlike "old Europe" (ie, France and Germany). The French president, Jacques Chirac, then chided the easterners as having "missed a great opportunity to keep quiet".

The nomenclature must now change again, because of Ukraine. In its response to Vladimir Putin's revanchism, Mr Rumsfeld's new Europe is remarkably similar to the old one: divided roughly between north and south. Poland and the Baltic three are hawkish, believing that Russia has irrevocably changed the post-war order; Bulgaria and Hungary are among those opposed to tough sanctions who hope that business with Russia will somehow return to normal.

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