The Cold War’s end was supposed to mark the beginning of a path toward a new Europe and a safer world order. But, instead of building new European security institutions and pursuing the demilitarization of Europe – as promised in NATO’s London Declaration of 1990 – the West, particularly the United States, declared victory.
人们认为，冷战的结束标志着迈向新欧洲和更安全的世界秩序的开始。但是，西方特别是并没有如北约1990年伦敦宣言（London Declaration of 1990）那样建立新的欧洲安全机构并追求欧洲的去军事化，而是宣布自己获胜。西方领导人脑子里装满了欢欣鼓舞和赢家心态。他们利用俄罗斯的衰落和缺少制衡力量的机会，根本没有注意到对垄断全球领导地位的警告。