Old Europe’s instinct is to double down on what fails. A new discipline of thinking can liberate sandbox generals from their hamster wheel. The 18 August 2025 White House visit of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, flanked by Europe’s anti-Russian leaders, should have been nothing less than a clarion call – startling, undeniable, impossible to ignore. Zelensky’s theatrical performance at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue transformed him into the world’s tragicomedian , while his European entourage