EUROPE - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called this moment a “historic turning point.” In Japan, a famous comedian named Tamori coined the (somewhat obscure) phrase “new prewar,” and it has been widely used to say much the same thing: That Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has forced both countries to take their own military preparedness more seriously.
Germany’s turning point and Japan’s “new prewar” are far from meaningless. The first hesitant, cautious, painful steps toward taking on more responsibility for their own defense have been taken. “Never again” can no longer be taken for granted. But, for better or worse, Pax Americana is far from exhausted. Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping have seen to that.