News / Foreign Policy

Trump arrives in Brussels for first NATO, EU talks

Wednesday, 24 May 2017 3:28 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 24 May 2017 5:29 PM ]

US President Donald Trump (2nd L) speaks with Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel (L) upon arrival at the Melsbroek military airport in Steenokkerzeel on May 24, 2017. (AFP photo)

US President Donald Trump has arrived in Brussels for his first summit with NATO and European Union leaders.

Trump flew to the the Belgian capital from Rome on Wednesday after a meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican.

The US president will meet the king and queen of Belgium and Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, before attending the EU and NATO summits on Thursday.

A “Trump not welcome” protest is expected to draw thousands of people in Brussels.

Trump was harshly critical of NATO as a presidential candidate, describing the 28-member Western military alliance as "obsolete."

He had denounced its effectiveness in the fight against terrorism and complained that other members are not contributing enough to the NATO budget.

He later reversed his position after meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House in April.

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Trump was also critical of Brussels, which is the headquarters of both NATO and the EU. After the city's recent terrorism incidents, Trump called Brussels a "hellhole."

Brussels is Trump's fourth destination on his first international tour, which began with a trip to Saudi Arabia and then to Israel. His fifth and final stop will be Sicily, where he'll meet with the leaders of the Group of 7 advanced economies.

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