Molotov-Ribbentrop Redux?

I’m reading a good RealClearWorld story about Europe’s negative reaction to the U.S. pulling out of the JCPOA nuclear deal with Iran, when it turns “very interesting, but not funny.” See their conclusion:

For Germany it means putting some irons in the fire that have nothing to do with Europe whatsoever. That means economic and energy connections to Russia. That means at least giving Russian demands a hearing. That means taking Russian strategic interests into account as concerns the countries between Germany and Russia.

OK, maybe that does sound a bit like a Molotov-Ribbentrop redux.

Never forget that the founding concept of the EU and NATO were to keep the Americans in, the Russians out, and the Germans down. All three of those pillars are gone.

History is moving on.

Germany hasn’t been “down” for some years, maybe the Americans are no longer perceived to be “in.” Don’t be surprised to see the Russian bear sniffing around Europe.

This will make the Visegrad countries very nervous indeed. They keep getting ground down between the Russian and German millstones (apologies for mixing metaphors).