(SPOILER: required to explain why this episode's plot is ridiculous)
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization stems from the longest lasting military alliance between mostly European nations against Soviet/Russian aggression in the world. Those nations have agency, intelligence and power.
That means they are not puppets, children or victims that need saving by the Mary Sue diplomatic skills of the show's lead character: the U.S.A. Sect. of State, played by Tea Leoni. These nations and their counterintelligence agencies are not such fools to be blackmailed by Russian agents into not defending themselves from invasions that are telegraphed by months of preparations. They are not so defenseless that the relatively similarly powered Russian military forces can attack from a single front along a single coast of the Black Sea and achieve the ability to destroy or neutralize the Bulgarian government so quickly and efficiently.
Yes, it's a common stereotype that TV viewers of the U.S.A. have a weak grasp of international politics, military power and history. But to inflate Russia's capabilities to such a degree, and simultaneously shrink the capabilities of all the nations of Europe (and the U.N.) leaves me shocked at such oversimplification.
I used to mildly enjoy the neat solutions that the writers of this show gave the characters of Madam Secretary. Now, I'll be noting their names, so that I don't accidentally watch or invest in other fiction that they are hired to create in the future. If I want a sci-fi show like this, I'll turn to Syfy, or whatever they're calling themselves this week.
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