On the John Batchelor Show, Mary Kissel discusses NATO’s renewed urgency following Russian aggression in Ukraine. While front-line nations like Poland exceed spending targets, many Europeans have historically relied on the US defense umbrella to fund social welfare states. She warns that Putin continues to test NATO’s unity at the margins.
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Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan, Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and Indonesia's Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka during the G20 Leaders' Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, on November 22, 2025. (Getty Images)