U.S. Vice President Mike Pence says he is looking "very much forward" to his talks Monday with European Union and NATO leaders.
Pence is on his first trip to Europe since taking office, intending to reassure allies the United States remains a staunch friend amid concerns about the new administration's "America First" strategy.
The vice president's schedule includes meetings with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, EU Council President Donald Tusk and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
Mogherini said after meeting U.S. officials in Washington last week that maintaining multilateral sanctions on Russia, keeping the Iran nuclear agreement in place and addressing the refugee crisis are issues the EU would like to collaborate on with the U.S. EU officials will also likely seek clarity on Trump's prediction last month in two European newspaper interviews that other countries would follow Britain and leave the alliance.
In the afternoon, Pence meets with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to close his European trip.
He expressed support for NATO at the alliance's security conference Saturday in Munich, adding reassurances after Trump's campaign statements describing NATO as "obsolete." "The United States of America strongly supports NATO and will be unwavering in our commitment to our transatlantic alliance," Pence said in his first major foreign policy address for the new administration.