So what about our friends?

The countries of Central and Eastern Europe are among the most pro-American members of NATO and the EU, yet find it hard to get the U.S. government's attention. Here is an open letter to the Obama Administration urging repair of U.S. ties, signed by 22 senior officials of these countries, many of them former presidents or foreign and defense ministers.

Let's hope Obama and his advisers read this letter and take it to heart. The United States will be making a bad mistake if it allows the ties with these countries to fray, whether from simple neglect, or from a decision to sacrifice them to a better relationship with Russia.