Well, the speed at which Finland and Sweden rushed into NATO (aka US) arms, when their illusion of "peace forever" was shattered, is a far stronger endorsement

Well, the speed at which Finland and Sweden rushed into NATO (aka US) arms, when their illusion of "peace forever" was shattered, is a far stronger endorsement than anything else. Unfortunately, we are humans and the only thing that organizes us beyond a certain scale (100-150 people) is force. Either you are strong enough yourself, or you need some strong backers.