美國副總統彭斯安撫歐洲：美國仍是堅定盟友

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.美國副總統彭斯表示，他“非常期待”星期一與歐盟和北約領導人舉行的會談。

在外界對於美國新行政當局的“美國第一”戰略的關注之下，彭斯展開上任後首次歐洲之旅，意在向盟國展示美國仍然是其堅定的盟友。

彭斯的行程包括與歐盟外交與安全政策高級代表莫蓋里尼、歐盟理事會主席圖斯克和歐盟委員會主席讓·克洛德·容克舉行會談。

莫蓋里尼上週在華盛頓與美國官員會晤後表示，在維持對俄羅斯的多邊制裁、維持伊朗核協議和解決難民危機的問題上歐盟希望與美國合作。歐盟官員也可能尋求澄清川普上月在兩次歐洲報紙採訪中提出的預測，川普說其他國家將效仿英國離開歐盟。

彭斯星期一下午將會見北約祕書長斯托爾滕貝格，之後結束他的歐洲之行。

彭斯星期六在慕尼黑的歐盟安全會議上表示支持北約，川普曾在競選時稱北約“過時”，彭斯的聲明帶來安撫。他在首次就美國新政府外交政策作出的重要講話中說：”美國堅定地支持北約，將毫不動搖遵守對我們跨大西洋聯盟的承諾。“