As Russia's war in Ukraine grinds through its fourth week, President Vladimir Putin's greatest accomplishment so far may be one he never intended: a unified Europe.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz's plan to boost defense spending could remake Germany's beleaguered military into the strongest armed forces in Europe — an idea that has met resistance in the past.

Even as European Union leaders welcome more cordial U.S. relations, the trans-Atlantic partnership faces the tough test of handling China's expansion.