Nato said yes to missile shield. Yes to Croatia and Albania. Not yet(!) to Ukraine and Georgia and No to Macedonia.

Oh, yes, France promised to send more troops to Afghanistan while the Germans continue to insist that their time as free riders in not yet over.

The"not yet" and missile shield make Russians unhappy.

So does the NATO summit mean we are headed towards a new Cold War?

Yes, if Russia reverts to autocracy. No, if it chooses democracy. Sorry realists but that is reality.

Ultimately, NATO democracies are doing what democracies have always done. They are trying to buy time while doing the minimum to get ready for the worst in the hope that it is on their side. Last time it was. Let's hope it will be again.

That minimum includes the missile shield. Given current developments in missile technology, nothing trumps it in importance. Developments in Military technology always fluctuate between offensive and defensive developments. At the moment offensive weapons such as rockets and missiles of all sizes and ranges have the advantage. This was brought home as never before during the Lebanon War. That is the reason that European Nato members try to appease Russia by delaying the decision on Ukrain and Georgia but refuse to put the development of the missile shield on ice.

All in all, well done.