Trump kicks off NATO summit by accusing Germany of being 'captive to Russia'

The Trumps arrive in Belgium — (Image credit: Benoit Doppagne/AFP/Getty Images)

President Trump landed in Brussels on Tuesday night for a seven-day trip to Europe, starting with a fraught NATO summit on Wednesday and Thursday. Before taking off, Trump tweeted that NATO was bilking the U.S., implicitly undermined struggling British Prime Minister Theresa May, and at his first NATO event on Wednesday morning, he singled out German Chancellor Angela Merkel over defense spending. "Germany, as far as I'm concerned, is captive to Russia because it's getting so much of its energy from Russia," Trump told NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg over breakfast. "So we're supposed to protect Germany when they're getting their energy from Russia? Explain that."

After Brussels, Trump heads to England for a pomp-filled visit, Scotland for a golfing respite, and then a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland. Trump has criticized just about every NATO ally, but has rarely if ever criticized Putin — "Frankly, Putin may be the easiest [meeting] of them all," Trump said before embarking — and there is widespread concern on both sides of the Atlantic that Trump will say or do things to undermine the U.S.-Europe alliance. Driving a wedge between Europe and the U.S. is believed to be one of Putin's key priorities.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.