Are the U.S. and NATO Serious about Deterring Russian Aggression?

My question was simple: Had the Western European countries been meeting the NATO defense-spending obligation of at least 2 percent of GDP, would Vladimir Putin have launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, or would our allies’ strong military commitment have given him increased pause?

It was April 2024, and before the House Armed Services Committee sat General Christopher Cavoli, the head of U.S. European Command, who is widely considered to be our nation’s foremost expert on military operations in Europe. In response to my question, General Cavoli was honest: “Sure, it would have given Putin pause.”