President Donald Trump will embark on a whirlwind European tour next week to visit the U.K., attend a meeting of NATO leaders and hold a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump will announce his nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy before his departure Tuesday.
The president’s European tour is expected to attract intense media scrutiny where he is expected to confront NATO allies about their financial commitment to the alliance. Several countries within the alliance have shirked their commitment to spending 2 percent of their GDP on national defense for several years, which has drawn the president’s ire.
Trump’s state visit to the U.K. is also likely to turn contentious at times. Mass protests have been planned in the city of London for the president’s arrival and the British government is reportedly worried that Trump will fan support of pro-Brexit politicians.
Trump will culminate his visit with a summit between himself and Putin in Helsinki, Finland. The high-stakes meeting is expected to touch on areas of tension between the U.S. and Russia with topics including Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, the nuclear arms race and ongoing Russian occupation of the Crimean peninsula.