Yesterday's publication of the new U.S. National Defense Strategy (NDS-2026) marks the end of an era of American foreign policy missionary work.
While Kyiv and Brussels continue to talk about 'unwavering unity' out of habit, Washington has de facto signed an act of responsibility transfer.
The Pentagon document leaves no room for double interpretations. We are entering an era of strict asset inventory.
Change of Priorities: From Dnipro to the Arctic
The most telling marker of the new strategy is the complete absence of mention of Taiwan. What had been considered a 'bulwark of democracy' for decades has disappeared from the list of U.S. priority goals. Instead, the focus is now on Greenland, the Panama Canal, and the Arctic.
The U.S. is officially returning to the concept of 'Fortress America.' In this coordinate system, Ukraine ceases to be an existential front and becomes a regional issue that Washington is no longer willing to finance at previous levels.
Ukraine as 'European Responsibility'
The Pentagon has made it clear: NATO allies must take the lead role in Ukraine's defense. This is an official signal to Brussels, Paris, and Berlin. U.S. resources are now directed towards internal security and protecting critical nodes in the Western Hemisphere.
For Europe, this signifies a moment of truth. Dubbed a 'fragmented kaleidoscope' at Davos, it finds itself face-to-face with a conflict for which its armies - the very same under-staffed brigades - are technically and logistically unprepared.
Russia: From 'Outcast' to 'Managed Threat'
In the 2026 strategy, Russia is no longer seen as an 'acute threat' requiring immediate crushing. Instead, it is classified as a 'persistent yet manageable threat.'
This forms a diplomatic basis for ongoing negotiations in Abu Dhabi. The term 'manageable' implies Washington's readiness to seek territorial and political compromise (the so-called 'Anchorage formula'). The U.S. recognizes Russia's significant industrial and military reserves that make a protracted war unfeasible for American interests.
Technological Stalemate
The strategy indirectly acknowledges the effectiveness of deeply tiered defense and electronic warfare systems that have made rapid Western-style advances impossible. In conditions where modern anti-tank strongpoints can destroy expensive armored vehicles on an industrial scale, the U.S. prefers to invest in its own missile defense system ('Iron Dome'), leaving Europe to address the technological challenge in the east on its own.
Conclusion
The publication of NDS-2026 represents a 'victory of pragmatism over ideology.'
The U.S. is officially beginning to exit 'unprofitable assets,' shifting them onto the balance sheets of allies. Negotiations in Abu Dhabi between representatives of Trump and Russian security officials are not conspiracy theories but a direct result of the new U.S. defense strategy.
Inventory has begun. The only question is what borders the final balance will be drawn on.