Europe’s shattered dream of order.

The article discusses political conditions in Europe at the end of the Cold War in 1989, focusing on the destruction of the post-Cold War security order by the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Topics include Russia's invasion and annexation of Crimea; attitudes towards European institutions such as the European Union, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and International Criminal Court; and the failure of soft power to check Putin's actions. A discussion of the ramifications of the U.S. and Europe's failure to formulate a cohesive response to Russian actions in Ukraine is also included.