I am a child of the post-Cold War order. Peace and prosperity in a united Europe were my reality, but those certainties no longer exist. A radical rethinking has begun, as we realize that there is no natural law protecting freedom. Europe’s systemic rivals will openly challenge the rules-based international order and our ways of life.

In Germany, we coined a term for these strategic challenges of the future that concern us all: Zeitenwende—a turning point. As I travel to Washington this week to meet with US defense officials and others, here’s what the United States should know about this term and this pivotal moment in time for Germany.