Putin Knows NATO Is Weak

Vox reports the results of a Pew survey of Europeans concerning whether their government should provide military aid in the event that Russians should attack one of the eastern NATO members. An absolute majority of French, Italians, and Germans say "no."

This is likely to mean the NATO "guarantee" of mutual aid in case of attack is an empty promise. An overt "tanks roll across the border" attack doesn't seem to be Putin's preferred modus operandi. 

Pity the poor residents of the Baltic republics - Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Maybe the Poles, too. It's not fun having Russia as a neighbor. NATO appears to be a dead letter.