The real message is blunt: without American backing, NATO becomes just another leverage point, not genuine power.

Defense budgets, political influence, security commitments—they all run through Washington's hands.

Europe keeps talking about unity and collective strength. Meanwhile, one side speaks in cost breakdowns and payment schedules.

This geopolitical shift matters beyond just international relations. When the foundation of post-war Western alliances gets questioned, it reshapes global capital flows, currency stability, and risk asset pricing. Markets price in these uncertainties. Whether institutional investors treat this as a medium-term headwind or catalyst for portfolio rotation—that's the real question traders need to watch.