Blinken heads to Brussels as European diplomats brace for four more years of Trump

Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to Brussels Tuesday as President-elect Donald Trump’s possible moves on support for Ukraine, NATO and tariffs raise serious questions and concerns among European officials.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to Brussels Tuesday as President-elect Donald Trump’s possible moves on support for Ukraine, NATO and tariffs raise serious questions and concerns among European officials. The trip comes a week after the US presidential election and as European leaders brace for another four years of Trump. In the wake of the US election, European leaders like France’s Emmanuel Macron pledged “a more united, stronger and more sovereign Europe,” even as governments like Germany’s Olaf Scholz’s are on the brink of collapse. “There has been a strategic awakening that we must embrace as Europeans. We cannot entrust our security to the Americans forever,” Macron said Thursday. Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, have cast strong doubts on continued US commitment to Kyiv as the war drags on more than two-and-half years after Russian forces invaded. Moreover, Trump has made comments that suggest the US could pressure Ukraine into an uneasy truce with Russia. During his campaign, Trump also indicated he would only adhere to NATO’s mutual defense commitment for countries who are contributing enough of their annual budgets to defense. During the campaign, Trump said “one of the presidents of a big country” at one point asked him whether the US would still defend the country if they were invaded by Russia even if they “don’t pay.” “No, I would not protect you,” Trump recalled telling that president. “In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You got to pay. You got to pay your bills.”