Pence Outlines

NATO is still an important organization to oppose Russia in Europe

Having just returned from a mission in Ukraine, I can tell you that the people I spoke with are less than impressed by the "boldness" of commitment.
Violations of cease-fires are constant there, and often contain conditions that are known to be unacceptable to one side or the other.
NATO currently has only five members that adhere to the treaty requirement to spend 2% of GDP on defense; Germany is about half that. The ones that do other than the US are close to Russia, unsurprisingly.
It looks very much like the world is going to allow the forced annexation of Crimea to go forward without serious consequences, which only invites further aggression.
Some kind of bogus pleblicite in Donetsk, Luhansk, Mariopol (Ukraine contested areas) invites disastrous future incursions on sovereign states.
Watch out Baltic States and Georgia, you are likely next.